"Polk, a conservative Christian, accepted a substitute teaching position in the Montgomery County schools in 2021, the appeals court's opinion notes. She subbed 10 times in eight different schools in the 2021-2022 school year "in roles that involved preschool, special education, kindergarten, and second through fourth grade classes," according to the opinion. She received positive performance reviews and was eligible to continue as a substitute teacher in 2022-2023 without having to reapply."
"A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld a ruling by the federal district court for Maryland, which dismissed most of teacher Kimberly Ann Polk's claims and denied her request for a preliminary injunction that would require the school district to assign her only to classes with no transitioning students while her case went through the courts. The appeals court's decision, issued Wednesday, saw one judge dissent."
Montgomery County Public Schools required teachers to use students' preferred names and pronouns and to keep such information confidential. Polk served as a substitute teacher across preschool through fourth grade during 2021–2022, received positive performance reviews, and was eligible to continue in 2022–2023. The district required viewing an online video of guidelines and signing an agreement to adhere to them as a condition of retention. Polk refused to sign, citing sincerely held religious beliefs based on her Christian faith and the Holy Bible, and sued in May 2024. A three-judge Fourth Circuit panel upheld a lower court ruling dismissing most of her claims and denied her requested preliminary injunction; one judge dissented.
Read at Advocate.com
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