An Ohio sixth grader, "John Doe," had the audacity in May to call a boy what he is—a boy. And he made things worse by using the forbidden pronoun, "he."

School authorities pounced, punishing "John" for his alleged transgression. I call that "transgender tyranny."

But thanks to friends like you, Liberty Counsel intervened. And the outcome in this case was only possible because of generous partners like you who give to Liberty Counsel. It shows the difference you make when you give — and why your support is so needed.

Here's what happened . . .

It all started when "John" said a fellow student and friend — a biological male who announced he is a female this spring — is a "boy, and not a girl."

"John" made his remark — respectfully — after overhearing three girls in art class talk about Boy A "taking girl hormones," eventually having his "male private parts removed," and that this would "make him a girl."

John Doe — who subsequently became our client — disagreed and spoke up to correct their error.

“No, he is a boy, and not a girl,” John told the girls. Another boy agreed that sex is biologically determined, stating, “Yes, you are what you’re born with.”

No big deal, right? Not anymore. LGBT forces demand scrupulous observance of their new rules — even the wrong pronoun can get you and me in hot water. Try saying, "Bruce Jenner is a man" at work or the grocery store and see what happens.

+  +  Called into the assistant principal's office

Well, at this Ohio school, the art teacher overheard John’s conversation, reported it as "bullying," and John got called into the assistant principal's office.

"You can have your own beliefs, but [Boy A] wants to be called a girl,” the assistant principal told John. And she warned him “there might be consequences” because John had used the forbidden male pronoun and said the offending phrase, “he is a boy, not a girl.”

Consequences came quickly. The assistant principal went to PE and told John he was not allowed to participate. She brought him back to the principal's office. John felt shame and embarrassment at being pulled out of gym class in front of his friends.

And all because he told the truth — respectfully — about his friend, a biological male.

It's hard to overstate how outrageous this is. Schools have no authority to force students to lie about objective reality. John didn't bully anyone. Instead, school authorities bullied him!

+  +  Thanks to you, Liberty Counsel intervened and this happened . . .

Because of friends like you who give to Liberty Counsel, we were there when John's parents called for help. And we intervened. We informed the local school district that . . .

• The First Amendment protects a student’s right to hold his own views, and to respectfully share them.

• The government may not take one side in a cultural or scientific debate, and turn classrooms into enclaves of totalitarianism.

• Schools must remain neutral regarding hot-button issues, and may not establish an “orthodoxy” regarding transgenderism.

In response, the school district said John's record "does not contain any record of disciplinary action."

In addition, the school district said the "Board of Education does not discipline students for using certain pronouns in referring to students or coerce any student to use a particular pronoun."

“No student," the district confirmed, "would be required to use” false pronouns.

+  +  Victory! Because of you!

That's a victory — and it came because of you! Your gifts make it possible for Liberty Counsel to defend freedom every day. But right now, I'm asking for your help. And here's why . . .

This outrageous episode in Ohio is just one of hundreds of cases and issues Liberty Counsel is currently addressing. Our docket is larger than ever as we

• expose "transgender" indoctrination in Madison, Wisconsin
• defend Sandra Merritt against Planned Parenthood and the unlimited resources of the state of California, which is prosecuting her on 15 criminal felony counts
• battle the Southern Poverty Law Center in court
• defend religious liberty against the ACLU in two nativity scene cases out of Indiana
• and much more.

Will you help today with a generous gift to defend freedom for sixth graders like young John Doe, Sandra Merritt and many more? You and I are in a pitched battle for liberty — and the courts of America are a critical front in which this war is being fought.

But the only way we're able to show up and fight is the support of friends like you.

Please make your most generous gift now and take advantage of the $100,000 Challenge Grant for online supporters like you. It's an opportunity for you to see your support effectively doubled to defend liberty, life and the family across America.

Thank you for your love of freedom and your willingness to stand with Liberty Counsel in its defense!

With gratitude,

Mat Staver
Chairman, Liberty Counsel

P.S. With your help, we'll defend freedom across America. Please let me hear from you right away!