US EditionFourth Circuit Upholds Maryland School Pronoun Policy While Allowing Religious Accommodation Claim
The appeals court ruled the policy applies neutrally to all staff and is not motivated by religious hostility, affirming a lower court's decision denying exemption claims.
- On January 28, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of most of Kimberly Ann Polk's claims and denied her request for an injunction.
- Polk declined to view an online training and refused to sign the guidelines, then sued in 2024 citing her `sincerely held religious beliefs'.
- Writing for the majority, Judge Robert B. King found the guidelines neutral and generally applicable and held that Polk’s challenged speech falls within the official duties of teachers.
- Polk's statutory accommodation claim will proceed to discovery, Rick Claybrook said they may seek review by the full Fourth Circuit or U.S. Supreme Court, while MCPS spokesperson Liliana López welcomed the decision.
- The Fourth Circuit adds to a split among federal courts over policies affecting transgender students, with contrasting rulings in other jurisdictions.
8 Articles
8 Articles
US appeals court upholds school’s policy to use preferred pronouns
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled last Wednesday that Montgomery County, Maryland, could require teachers to use students’ preferred pronouns and prohibit teachers from sharing information about gender identity with parents. The 2-1 opinion, written by Judge Robert Bruce King, held that the school board’s policy requiring teachers to use the preferred pronouns of students and not discuss gender information with parents did not…
Court rules trans-inclusive policy does not violate Christian teacher's rights
A federal appeals court in Maryland has ruled that a Maryland school district’s policy requiring teachers to use the gender-affirming names and pronouns of trans students does not violate a Christian teacher’s First Amendment Rights. Kimberly Polk, a substitute teacher for Montgomery County Public Schools, argued that the district’s policy violated her religious rights and free speech under the Constitution in court. She originally attempted to …
Maryland school district didn't violate teacher's rights by requiring chosen pronoun use, appeals court rules
Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland did not violate a substitute teacher’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and religion by requiring her to use transgender students’ chosen pronouns, a federal appeals court has ruled.
Teacher can't use religion to object to identity pronouns, court rules
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WAVY) — A federal appeals court has ruled against a teacher who sued the local school system after she refused to honor students' preferred identity pronouns. The ruling came last week from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Virginia and North Carolina and was reported Monday by the Washington Post. [...]
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