Perry, Alyssa

Summary
In 2014, a professor at Austin Community College required students in an Interpreting class to watch a Ted Talk video entitled “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Orgasm,” and interpret it in sign language. A second assignment was to attend a workshop on transgender identity to learn signs used within the transgender community. The student sought alternative assignments due to a conflict with her religious beliefs, but the professor refused and said she would be the one to determine whether the assignments violated the student’s beliefs. ADF wrote a demand letter to the College, which subsequently accommodated the student’s beliefs by providing an alternate assignment.
Details
Institution: Student at Austin Community College
Location: Elgin, TX
Topic: Compelled Speech of Belief
Intervention: Non-litigation
Outcome: Victory