Virginia school board bans compelled use of trans pronouns

January 1, 2026

A major school district in Virginia has instituted new policies to prevent the forced use of trans-identified students’ and teachers’ chosen pronouns.

The Christian Post reports that the Chesapeake Public Schools Board of Education voted 7-2 during a school board meeting on Dec. 15 to amend the school district’s policy manual by clarifying that all employees are expected to “refrain from providing to a student his or her preferred personal title or pronouns if such preferred personal title or pronouns do not correspond to his or her sex.”

The policy change also directs school district employees to “refrain from compelling any staff member to address any employee or refer to any employees in a manner that violates the staff member’s constitutionally protected rights.” 

The new changes also include a provision saying employees may not “compel any student to address any employee or refer to any employee in a manner that violates the student’s constitutionally protected rights.”

According to the Christian Post, Angela Swygert, the chair of the Chesapeake Public Schools Board of Education, clarified at the meeting that “the voluntary use of alternative pronouns and titles by employees amongst their peers is not prohibited by this policy.”

Swygart added, “A person who does not fundamentally agree with the use of alternative pronouns and titles cannot be compelled to use them.”

Teachers throughout Virginia and across the United States have faced professional consequences for declining to use the self-declared names and pronouns of trans-identified students, due to deeply held religious views on gender and sexuality.

Students have also faced punishment for refusing to refer to teachers by their self-declared pronouns. 

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