Oregon Social Worker Fired for Displaying Matt Walsh’s Binary-Affirming Biology Books
Arbitrary laws built on far-left lawfare have claimed the job of an Oregon educator.
Arbitrary laws built on far-left lawfare have claimed the job of an Oregon educator.
Clinical social worker Rod Theis was fired for refusing to remove kids’ books from his desk that affirmed binary biology.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) took on the censorship case in 2025 after InterMountain Education Service District acted on a single complaint.
That complaint saw the school send Theis a letter telling him that the Matt Walsh material violated the school’s “inclusion” policies, as dictated by Oregon law.
He appealed in court. That court then conditionally ruled in his favour, allowing the books as long as they were not displayed when kids were around.
Students were later filmed by another teacher looking at the books, and filed a second complaint.
According to the East Oregonian (EO), “Oregon law prohibits discrimination in public education and requires education providers to adopt policies addressing what it deems “bias incidents.”
“The district’s “Every Student Belongs” policy defines a bias incident as a “hostile expression of animus” based on a protected characteristic, including gender identity.”
Theis held the line, so the school, acting on the state’s “diversity, equity and inclusion” laws, ironically, terminated his employment.
Long story short, the 9th Circuit heard an appeal to the District Court ruling, and has now ruled that the school booting Theis was justified.
As EO reported, his promotion of binary biology “was not protected by the First Amendment when students were present in his office.”
Addressing the blatant double standard, ADF explained that, “InterMountain and the schools it serves allow employees to decorate their offices with all kinds of personal items, including paintings, photos, quotes, books, and even posters or statements that convey political messages, such as promoting unions, Black Lives Matter, and the LGBT movement.
“The messages,” they asserted, “are not InterMountain’s or the schools’; they are the personal expression of employees.
“But after one teacher complained, InterMountain ordered Theis to remove the books because they promote a “binary view of gender.”
After the first ADF win, the teacher who originally made the complaint “coordinated a set-up that allowed students Theis didn’t serve to view the books.”
Labelled “transphobic” and “hostile,” ADF recounted that “InterMountain then fired Theis.
The ruling released on 21 July stated, “Although Theis contends that his display of the books reflects his religious beliefs, the Free Exercise Clause does not provide a right to engage in conduct restricted by a workplace rule simply because that conduct is religiously motivated.”
The 9th Circuit noted the free-speech components, cited jurisdiction issues, then dismissed the case.
ADF said the court rejected their arguments and upheld the school’s right to demand that Theis remove Walsh’s binary biology affirming, He is He, She is She, and Johnny the Walrus, from his office.
Remarking on the case, Theis stated, “Government officials are wrong to tell me, or any other employee, what personal views we can express.”
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