After a legal battle, Lindsay Rich has been reinstated as a substitute teacher at a Christiansburg, VA, school. The mother of five was removed from her position over her traditional Christian views on gender. The victory came this week after the not-for-profit legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel intervened on her behalf. In 2024, police escorted her offsite after the school board voted to remove her from the position.
Rich was removed after narrowly losing her bid for the school board. Her opponent was one of the bureaucrats who eventually fired her. “I was absolutely shocked when the school board violated its own policy by taking action in closed session to strike my name from the personnel list before coming out in open session to vote,” the woman told reporters.
The decision to reinstate her was made after Liberty Counsel sent the district a strongly worded message. “…As interpreted by the Supreme Court of Virginia,…[the teacher] has the right in her capacity as a citizen to freely speak and write regarding her religious views and political views as they are informed by her faith,” they wrote in the initial letter. “Neither she nor any other teacher of [the school district] may be penalized for speech expressed in a private capacity – whether that speech takes place pre-employment, or during employment but in a private capacity.”
After their victory, the legal group issued a press release that stated, “The district’s corrective decision to restore the teacher shows that the law clearly protects teachers to freely express their beliefs in their private capacities…it is discriminatory and unlawful for an employer to burden the free exercise of religion and refuse to hire or discharge a person with respect to their religion. ”
The founder of Liberty Counsel said, “The First Amendment guarantees a teacher’s right to speak according to his or her religious beliefs and political values. The school district corrected a potentially costly mistake. Teachers have a right to express their conscience and religious beliefs in their private capacity without fear of retribution from their employer.”
A Virginia Representative took to Facebook to address the issue. “I learned today that a constituent of mine, Lindsay Rich, has allegedly been denied a substitute teaching position with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) due to her political beliefs. If true, this is antithetical to our 1st Amendment right of freedom of speech and expression,” Jason Ballard wrote.
“It is my understanding that MCPS is currently in need of substitute teachers, and it is truly disheartening to hear that a member of our community was turned away from a position of need due to an apparent difference of opinion with Democrats on the school board,” he added. He was not the only member of the public to address the drama.
Watch This Courageous Mother In Her Bid for a School Board Seat
Susanna Rich, a sixth grader at the school and Lindsay’s daughter, said, “You guys went against the freedom of religion by saying that because of my mom’s political and Christian beliefs, you will not approve her to be a sub. My mom would never try to push her religion on others.” The girl added, “At school, there is a policy against bullying,” She added, “Well, you’re bullying my mom.”
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