
A Virginia school district has reinstated a substitute teacher initially removed due to her Christian views on gender ideology.
Lindsay Rich, a Christian mother of five and a former candidate for the Montgomery County School Board in Virginia District E, has returned to her position as a teacher this week.
Her reinstatement followed intervention from the Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit Christian legal organization.
According to the Liberty Counsel, school officials escorted Rich from her assignment just two hours after her arrival in September 2024. That same day, the school board met in a closed session and opted to remove her from the personnel list.
The substitute teacher expressed that her religious beliefs led her to conclude that God created humans as male and female, and she opposed allowing male students to enter facilities designated for female students.
Rich expressed her shock at the board's actions, stating, “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.”
Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the district asserting that the First Amendment, Title VII, and Virginia law protect teachers who express their views on public matters in a personal capacity.
The letter stated, “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 — and 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.”
The organization also referenced the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the “Virginia Values Act,” arguing that it is unlawful for employers to take adverse action against individuals due to their religious expression. After receiving the demand letter, the school district reinstated Rich's name on the list of substitute teachers.
She was reportedly the only substitute in the district to lose her job opportunity due to statements made outside the classroom.
Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, commented, “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.”