Oral arguments were held earlier this month in the case of a teacher who resigned after his Title VII request was revoked. He had asked to call students by their last names instead of their preferred names and pronouns.

John Kluge taught music theory and orchestra at Brownsburg High School in Indiana and sought religious accommodation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in order to be allowed to call students by their last names, according to a report from Alliance Defending Freedom. Title VII requires employers to accommodate employees' religious beliefs, except in cases of "undue hardship."

Kluge was granted the religious accommodation and able to call students by their last names, rather than preferred names and pronouns. However, after some students complained, the Brownsburg Community School Corporation revoked his accommodation and forced him to resign.

Jason Lee, an attorney with the Justice Department, said Kluge's refusal to address two transgender students by their preferred names and pronouns caused them harm personally, educationally and socially, Bloomberg Law reports. Kluge taught at the school for four years and asked to call students by their last names to avoid "affirming transgenderism," the report states. 

Attorney Scott Greenfield shared the Bloomberg Law article on social media, writing in a Jan. 21 Twitter post, "Compelled speech. What could possibly go wrong?"

CatholicVote Political Director Josh Mercer condemned the school's decision.

"What’s especially troubling is that this teacher plainly, respectfully made clear that it is against his deeply-held religious beliefs to actively affirm the trans agenda," Mercer said. "And yet the Biden administration wants him punished. We all know where this leads if Biden has his way: No self-respecting Catholic will be allowed to hold any position in education, period. So much for America’s second Catholic president."

Kluge's case is currently in federal appeals court. Oral arguments were heard Jan. 20.