A transgender preschool teacher in Pennsylvania has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit alleging that his employer pushed him out after learning he was pregnant, raising questions about workplace protections for transgender employees and the treatment of pregnant workers.
Drew Zelikman, a West Easton resident, filed the lawsuit on October 9 against Parkland School Inc., which operates The Goddard School of Center Valley in Upper Saucon Township. The complaint alleges that Zelikman’s treatment at work changed dramatically after his pregnancy revealed his transgender identity to colleagues and management.
From Teacher to Outsider
According to reporting by LehighValleyLive, Zelikman’s coworkers were unaware he was transgender until he disclosed his pregnancy.
Following that disclosure, he allegedly experienced a noticeable shift in how supervisors and coworkers treated him. Interactions reportedly became colder, creating what the lawsuit describes as an increasingly uncomfortable workplace environment.
Zelikman began unpaid pregnancy leave on November 12, 2025, and gave birth several days later. According to the complaint, he had been assured that his teaching position would remain available when he returned.
That assurance apparently had an expiration date.
On January 5, 2026, Zelikman was informed that his position had already been filled, effectively ending his employment at the preschool. He alleges that the decision was discriminatory and connected to his transgender identity and pregnancy.
Federal Discrimination Case Moves Forward
The lawsuit, Zelikman v. Parkland School, Inc., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under case number 5:26-cv-07771.
Court records identify U.S. District Judge John M. Gallagher as presiding over the case. The employer’s response deadline is listed as December 8, 2026. No determination of discrimination has been made.
The case highlights overlapping federal employment protections.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on sex, including pregnancy-related discrimination. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act separately requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related limitations unless doing so creates undue hardship.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also identifies termination, harassment, and discriminatory treatment surrounding pregnancy as potential violations of federal law.
When Pregnancy Reveals More Than Expected
For transgender men who become pregnant, navigating workplace expectations can carry additional complications. Pregnancy may disclose someone’s transgender status without their having intended to share that information with colleagues.
That disclosure should not become a professional liability.
Zelikman’s allegations illustrate how pregnancy discrimination and anti-transgender bias can potentially intersect, particularly when an employee’s treatment changes immediately after personal medical information becomes known.
The allegations remain unproven, and the school must have an opportunity to respond.
But the central question is straightforward: Was Zelikman’s position genuinely unavailable when he returned, or did his employer decide that a pregnant transgender man no longer belonged in its classroom?
That is now a question for the federal courts.
