A Virginia teacher is celebrating a major victory after standing firm against a policy she believed compromised her faith and the rights of parents. Deb Figliola, a middle school teacher in the Harrisonburg City Public School District, refused to comply with a directive she saw as deceptive—one that required teachers to withhold information from parents about their children’s preferred pronouns and gender identity.

Now, after a years-long battle with the support of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Figliola has won her fight. The school district has agreed to grant religious accommodations for teachers who refuse to violate their conscience.

Figliola, who has been teaching in the district for over a decade, recalled the moment she realized she could not comply with the policy.

“A little over three years ago, we were given a training that told us as a staff—and this training was given to all staff and all personnel within the school district—that we would have to ask students for what they wanted to be called and what pronoun they preferred,” she told CBN News. “And then we had to always refer to them that way.”

However, teachers were also instructed not to inform parents unless it was determined that they were “sufficiently supportive” of their child’s transition.

“When I heard that training, I basically went back to my office, my classroom, and wrote down some thoughts,” Figliola recalled. “I still have the paper, and I just wrote, ‘I can’t lie. I’m not going to lie to kids, and I’m not going to lie to parents.'”

Figliola wrestled with her decision, but ultimately, she felt convicted by her Christian faith to speak out.

“That process included a lot of prayer … a lot of consideration, and, in spending time in prayer, really feeling like God was directing me to do this with my time—that this was important,” she said. “And it was a responsibility that I had to speak up for kids and for families.”

As a parent and grandparent, she couldn’t fathom being kept in the dark about critical information regarding her children or grandchildren. Her conviction led her to join two other teachers in pushing back against the policy, with the legal backing of ADF.

According to ADF, Harrisonburg City Public Schools revised its policy before the 2021-2022 school year, adding “gender identity” to its nondiscrimination policy. The directive required staff to use students’ preferred names and pronouns while withholding this information from parents unless deemed necessary.

After a legal battle, the school district eventually agreed to offer a religious accommodation.

“Under this new religious accommodation policy, Harrisonburg schools granted them an accommodation that said, ‘We’re not requiring you to do those things,'” Vincent Wagner, senior counsel at ADF, explained. “And then that was wrapped up in this final order that we agreed to with the school board that says the school board maintains that it doesn’t … require teachers to use pronouns that are inconsistent with sex and [doesn’t] require teachers to hide information from parents or lie to parents.”

This decision marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate about parental rights and religious freedom in education. Wagner emphasized the importance of this case, stating that similar policies are appearing across the country, and ADF remains committed to challenging them in court.

“We represent educators across the country who are objecting to these sorts of policies—Ohio, Indiana, all over the place,” he said. “They’re popping up, and it’s just pernicious. This idea is that schools need to somehow get between parents and their children and make decisions without involving parents about what’s best for their kids.”

While many have celebrated her victory, Figliola acknowledges that the battle came with personal costs. Some colleagues have distanced themselves from her, and the controversy sparked intense debate within the district. Yet, she remains steadfast in her belief that speaking the truth is worth it.

“Don’t give up because there are protections and there is a path forward,” she encouraged other teachers facing similar dilemmas. “There is a path forward for those of us who believe that this is wrong to stay in our profession that we are so often passionate about doing, passionate about being with kids and supporting families, and we don’t have to stop that.”

Figliola’s story serves as a powerful reminder that standing for truth and faith can lead to positive change.

“It may not be comfortable at all times,” she said, “but things that are really worth it may mean that we may have to be uncomfortable once in a while. But it is so worth it. I’m so glad I did this.”