Attorneys with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty issued a letter to administrators at the Kiel Area School District urging the district to drop a Title Nine complaint and investigation against three eighth grade boys who are being accused of sexual harassment for using “incorrect pronouns” when referencing a classmate. WILL’s letter explains that the mere use of biologically correct pronouns not only does not constitute sexual harassment under Title Nine or the District’s own policy, it is speech protected by the First Amendment.

This is absurd and wrong. Now students’ free speech rights are being abridged because someone’s feelings got hurt when other students referred to this student using his or her biologically correct pronouns. Schools have policies regarding bullying, but refusing to use a fellow student’s preferred pronouns in and of itself is not punishable.