Vlaming v. West Point School Board

Summary

High school French teacher Peter Vlaming was fired from his job in West Point, Virginia for declining to refer to a female student with male pronouns even though he consistently accommodated the student by using the student’s preferred name instead of the student’s given name. Vlaming is suing the school board for violating his rights under the Virginia Constitution and Virginia law.

ADF attorneys, along with allied attorney Shawn Voyles, appealed his case to the Virginia Supreme Court after the Circuit Court for the County of King William dismissed the case.

Case Timeline

Fall 2018: Peter was asked to refer to a female student he had taught the previous year by a new name and male pronouns. Though Peter did his best to accommodate the student, he could not violate his conscience. He was placed on leave by the school board and then terminated at the end of the year.
September 2019: With the help of attorneys from ADF, Peter filed a lawsuit against the West Point School Board for wrongful termination and breach of contract under the Virginia Constitution and Virginia law.
September 2021: Peter asked the Virginia Supreme Court to take up his case after the King William County Circuit Court dismissed it.
March 2022: The Virginia Supreme Court agreed to hear Peter’s case.
December 2023: The Virginia Supreme Court reinstated Peter’s case and affirmed that Virginians have a right not to be forced to express messages that violate their beliefs.
September 2024: The West Point School Board agreed to pay $575,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees in a settlement of the case. The school board also cleared Peter’s firing from his record after previously changing its policies.