School's transgender policy trumped teacher's religious rights, U.S. court rules

[Davie]

An Indiana high school did not break the law by allegedly forcing a music teacher to quit after he refused on religious grounds to use transgender students' preferred names, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday. 

"Kluge's last-names-only practice stigmatized the transgender students and caused them demonstrable emotional harm," Circuit Judge Ilana Rovner wrote for the court.

 

https://www.reuters.com/legal/schools-transgender-policy-trumped-teachers-religious-rights-us-court-rules-2023-04-07/

[KathyLauren]

Nice to see some sanity in the courts.

[Ivy]

I don't really understand how calling someone by a name they prefer (and go by) violates someone's religion.  

How does deliberately misgendering someone somehow become a sacrament or something?

[KathyLauren]

11 minutes ago, Ivy said:

How does deliberately misgendering someone somehow become a sacrament or something?

 

It's not about religion.  "Freedom of religion" has become a magic ring of power.  If it is allowed to override any other consideration, then people want it for its power over others, not for its religious values.

 

Court decisions such as this are important to keep religion from being abused.  Like any other freedom, it has its place in a hierarchy.

 

[Marcie Jensen]

@Ivy, speaking pastorally, calling someone by their preferred name has no basis in Christian Theology. To illustrate, one of the most well known Christian theologians of the 20th century was the late SHIRLEY Guthrie; a Presbyterian pastor, theologian and male. Also, misgendering someone, deliberately or not, isn't a sacrament. 

[VickySGV]

Sounds like ADF went client fishing for him and most of this was their drama coaching.  The Bible if he is relying on it has a number of examples of names changed in it as part the whole story.  Some of the changes only make a little sense unless you read and study the ancient languages and culture.  Even the common names do not translate well into American English.  Going a step further in the Christian Church tradition is the fact that people entering monastic or other church service groups took on new names Brother Maria and Sister Stephen were two people whom I have met,  Sister Stephen was a nun in the Episcopal Church who lead a retreat I was on. In Indiana he could  have  swum in another cesspool if it had been a First Nations or Native American student who was given a child nick name, but was ready to use their actual family name.  None of my examples there are Trans People BTW.  They do not mention if there was an actual Trans student involved which may be why the one justice held out.  I am getting real tired of the single individual trying to deprive the multitude of simply good sense behavior. 

[Ivy]

The sacrament stuff was sarcasm - sorry.  I have heard of guys named "Shirley" actually.  There are other names like that as well.  I'd give examples, but I'd most likely misspell them.

I have no reason with my limited theological education to suspect it addresses using someone's preferred name.  It's just kinda the polite thing to do if you're not trying to insult them.

I just get upset when people use their supposed religion to deliberately disrespect others.

I meant no offense to anyone here.

[Marcie Jensen]

@Ivy, no offense was given or taken. This will teach me not to post before being fully caffeinated. I was trying to say that you're right. I probably should have lead with that. I agree with you about using one's religion or spiritual practice to be disrespectful or hurtful to others.