The Argyle School District in Wisconsin recently faced the financial and legal consequences of its decision to fire an educator over his refusal to submit to radical gender ideology. The district was forced to settle for $20,000 with Jordan Cernek, an English teacher who lost his job after standing firm in his religious and moral convictions by refusing to use biologically inaccurate pronouns for transgender students.
This case is just one in a growing number of pushbacks against the leftist agenda infiltrating schools nationwide. Cernek, refusing to bow to pressure, filed a lawsuit in July 2024, asserting that the district had violated his First Amendment rights and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—both of which guarantee protections against being forced to express beliefs one does not hold.
Backed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, Cernek’s legal battle underscored a fundamental truth: teachers should not be compelled to affirm what they believe to be false. His lawsuit stated unequivocally, “Mr. Cernek has a sincerely held religious belief that God makes no mistakes when it comes to sex and gender.” For Cernek, complying with the district’s demands would mean participating in a lie—something his faith and conscience could not allow.
While the school initially attempted to offer Cernek a religious accommodation, that so-called compromise was quickly revoked. Administrators doubled down on their ideological demands, insisting that Cernek comply fully with policies that would have required him to endorse gender fluidity—a position contradictory to both science and his deeply held Christian beliefs.
Cernek did not take this assault on his faith and integrity lightly. At an August 2022 meeting, when the policy was being introduced, he openly voiced his concerns, making it clear that he would not comply with a mandate that required him to reject biological reality. His refusal put him at odds with the school district, which swiftly moved to penalize him for his stance.
Cernek’s case is part of a broader, growing movement of teachers and individuals across the country fighting back against forced compliance with radical gender ideology. Across the U.S., educators who have refused to participate in what many consider compelled speech and leftist indoctrination have been vindicated in the courts.
- In Virginia, a school board was forced to settle for $575,000 after a high school teacher was fired for refusing to use transgender pronouns.
- In Ohio, another teacher won a $450,000 settlement after a federal court ruled that forcing her to use preferred pronouns violated her constitutional rights.
The pattern is clear: school districts that attempt to force teachers into ideological submission are being forced to pay up.
This is not just about pronouns—it is about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to reject state-enforced ideological conformity. The radical left has made it their mission to erase biological reality, but teachers like Cernek are refusing to surrender their beliefs in the face of institutional bullying.
Educators should not be required to violate their faith or endorse falsehoods just to keep their jobs. Yet, activist-driven school policies are increasingly forcing teachers to either comply with radical gender ideology or face termination. This overreach has led to a wave of lawsuits as teachers demand the right to speak truthfully without fear of losing their livelihoods.
The mainstream media and left-wing activists would have Americans believe that opposition to forced pronoun use is rooted in bigotry. But the reality is far different. These lawsuits and settlements prove that the fight is not about discrimination—it’s about preventing government institutions from trampling on personal convictions and constitutional freedoms.
Cernek’s victory, while financially modest, is symbolically powerful. It represents another crack in the radical gender movement’s attempt to enforce total ideological compliance in schools. As more educators stand up for their beliefs, the message is clear: the American people will not be coerced into denying reality.
The battle against compelled speech and ideological tyranny is far from over, but cases like Cernek’s prove that resistance is not only possible—it is winning.
