Florida Judge Warns of Transgender Ideology as a New 'State-Sponsored Religion'
FREE Catholic Classes
A recent ruling by a Florida administrative judge has sparked a contentious debate around transgender ideology and religious freedom. Judge John Van Laningham issued a recommendation advising the state's Education Practices Commission to exonerate a middle school science teacher, Yojary Mundaray, who lost her job for refusing to use male pronouns to refer to a biological girl. In his ruling, Judge Van Laningham described "transgender ideology" as a "new secular faith" and expressed concerns about it becoming a "state-sponsored religion."
Photo credit: Tim Mossholder
Highlights
10/13/2023 (7 months ago)
Published in Marriage & Family
Keywords: Florida judge, transgender ideology, religious freedom, education, teacher, pronouns, state-sponsored religion
The case in question stems from a 2019 interaction where a student, who identified as transgender, requested to be addressed using male pronouns. In response, Mundaray, citing her Christian beliefs, declined to comply, stating, "I'm a Christian, and my God made no mistakes." This led to her losing her job in June 2020.
Subsequently, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. filed an administrative complaint against Mundaray, accusing her of imposing her religious views on the student. The matter was then brought before the Education Practices Commission, which had the authority to take more severe disciplinary actions, including suspending or revoking her teaching certification.
Judge Van Laningham's ruling suggests that the allegation of Mundaray imposing her views on the student is "untrue." He argued that at most, Mundaray expressed her belief in the inerrancy of God, which is a relatively benign theological statement. He emphasized that the incident was not about proselytizing but centered on transgender ideology.
The judge pointed out that it was the student, not the teacher, who initiated a discussion about God's nature. Mundaray's response was, according to the ruling, "polite disagreement with the student's theological statement, which was both heterodox and disparaging."
Judge Van Laningham also highlighted that the incident took place more than three years before a new Florida law went into effect, which prohibited school districts from firing teachers who refused to use pronouns differing from a student's biological sex. This law, enacted on July 1, 2023, also affirmed that it is "false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person's sex."
While the judge's ruling serves as a recommendation to the Education Practices Commission, it has ignited a broader conversation about the role of the state. The ruling suggests that some individuals view "transgender ideology" as a secular faith with zealous adherents.
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Understanding Pentecost: A Celebration of the Holy Spirit in the Catholic Tradition
-
Did you know the Catholic Church has a birthday?
-
Catholic Bishops Call for Civil Dialogue Amid Church Polarization
-
Pope Francis Emphasizes Charity as the Pinnacle of Christian Love
-
Discovering the Heart of Love: Pope Francis Shares Wisdom on Charity
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Friday, May 17, 2024
- St. Paschal Baylon: Saint of the Day for Friday, May 17, 2024
- Prayer to St. Gabriel, for Others: Prayer of the Day for Friday, May 10, 2024
- Daily Readings for Thursday, May 16, 2024
- St. Simon Stock: Saint of the Day for Thursday, May 16, 2024
- Prayer for Travelers: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, May 09, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.