The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding a decision issued Thursday by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Defending Education v. Olentangy Local School District Board of Education upholding the right of students to use pronouns consistent with sex:
“First Amendment rights don’t disappear behind school doors—whether you’re a teacher, parent, or student. For many, the choice of pronouns communicates their belief that sex is immutable, and to use pronouns or names that reflect a gender identity inconsistent with sex violates their core convictions and tells a harmful lie. Schools can’t force students who hold that belief to use other pronouns instead. As the 6th Circuit put it in ruling for the students, ‘The school district may not skew this debate by forcing one side to change the way it conveys its message or by compelling it to express a different view.’ We’re pleased the court upheld the fundamental constitutional right of students to speak according to their deeply held beliefs.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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