A U.S. appeals court ruled Friday that an Indiana high school did not violate law by forcing a music teacher to quit after refusing on religious grounds to use the preferred names of transgender students.
The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said teacher John Kluge’s right to exercise his religious beliefs was overridden by the potential disruption his behavior could have on the learning environment at Brownsburg High School in suburban Indianapolis.
Kluge said her Christian religious beliefs prevented her from following a school policy requiring students to use their preferred names and pronouns.
The school initially allowed Klue to call students by their last names but declined after receiving complaints from students and faculty, according to court filings. He said that he resigned after being informed that he would be fired in 2018.
Kluge sued the school district in 2019, alleging that it violated a federal law prohibiting workplace discrimination based on religion. He was seeking to get his job back and unspecified money damages.
Kluge is represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal group. Rory Gray, an attorney with the group, said Kluge is evaluating his options.
“The 7th Circuit’s ruling demonstrates why the Supreme Court must set a standard that accommodates religious employees,” Gray said in a statement.
An attorney for the school did not respond to a request for comment.
Federal law requires employers to accommodate workers’ religious beliefs without causing undue hardship to them.
Kluge argued in her lawsuit that allowing students to be called by their last names does not burden the school.
The 7th Circuit disagreed Friday, upholding an Indiana federal judge’s dismissal of the case.
“Kluge’s last-name-only practice stigmatized transgender students and caused them emotional harm,” Circuit Judge Ilana Rovner wrote to the court.
In a dissenting opinion, Circuit Judge Michael Brennan said it was unclear whether the school could have mitigated any disruptions to Klue caused by his conduct and that a jury would have to decide whether his rights were violated.
Source: Reuters
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