The nationwide debate over transgender rights is playing out on a personal level in a federal court lawsuit filed by a former Liberty University employee fired by the Christian school after disclosing her identity as a transgender woman.

The U.S. Department of Education says Liberty University has agreed to pay an unprecedented $14 million fine after the large Christian school in Virginia failed to disclose information about crimes on campus.

A former spokesperson for Liberty University is suing the evangelical Virginia school after being fired.

Liberty University students, Ally Cole and Ruby Wierzbicki, started out a regular Wednesday bus ride to campus complete strangers, but after sparking conversation with each other, they found out they have more in common than they thought.

Liberty University is suing Jerry Falwell Jr. The school is seeking millions in damages after an acrimonious breakup with its former leader last year.

RICHMOND, Va. – Jerry Falwell Jr. has sued Liberty University, alleging the evangelical school founded by his late pastor father damaged his reputation in a series of public statements that followed his resignation as president and chancellor in August amid a series of scandals. This action seeks redress for the damage Liberty has caused to the reputation of Mr. Falwell and his family,” the lawsuit says. Although the Falwells have acknowledged that Granda and Becki Falwell had an affair, Jerry Falwell has denied any participation. In the lawsuit, Falwell claimed that Liberty “turned on” him after Granda went public with his allegations, forcing his resignation. Reached for comment on the lawsuit, Granda said via email that he stands by his previous statements.

RICHMOND, Va. – Liberty University said it paid its recently resigned president, Jerry Falwell Jr., the two years' base salary owed under his employment contract Tuesday. “By his pre-existing contract, Mr. Falwell is entitled to two years’ base salary as severance,” the statement said. These accrued retirement payments reflect reasonable terms after 30 years of service to Liberty, with 13 as university president." Liberty's statement also said there was no severance or retirement negotiated in exchange for Falwell's resignation last month. Although the Falwells have acknowledged a sexual relationship between Becki Falwell and Granda, Jerry Falwell has said he had no role in the affair.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 file photo, Jerry Falwell Jr., right, answers a student's question, accompanied by his wife, Becki, during a town hall meeting on the opioid crisis at a convocation at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. On Aug. 7, 2020, Falwell stepped down, at least temporarily, from his role as the president of the school. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

FILE -This Wednesday Nov. 28, 2018 file photo shows Rev. Jerry Falwell Jr., right, and his wife, Becky during after a town hall at a convocation at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Falwell Jr. says he is seeking help for the "emotional toll" from an affair his wife had with a man who he says later threatened his family. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Jerry Falwell Jr., right, and his wife, Becky during after a town hall at a convocation at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Falwell Jr. says he is seeking help for the "emotional toll" from an affair his wife had with a man who he says later threatened his family. Falwell has said the photo was taken at a costume party during a family vacation. In his statement, Falwell said he and his wife met the man she had an affair with during a vacation over eight years ago. In that statement, the board said that the decision on whether or not to retain Falwell had not yet been made. Falwell said he was seeking mental health counseling amid the trauma" of the situation and that he remains fully devoted to his wife.

(AP Photo/Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va. Jerry Falwell Jr. has been toppled, at least temporarily, from the presidency of evangelical Liberty University, but whether he will break permanently with the Christian institution that is synonymous with his family name is another matter. Jerry Falwell Sr. into the ministry, took over as president following his fathers death in 2007. The vision laid out by Falwells father rests in part on athletic success, which has improved under his son, who has outfitted the Liberty Flames with top-notch facilities. Adam Laats, a professor at Binghamton University in New York who studies American education, predicted that Falwell would return to Liberty not as president but in another capacity. Harkening back to a sentiment expressed by the elder Falwell, Carson observed: Its not Jerry Jr.s university.

NEW YORK Nearly three dozen black alumni of Liberty University denounced school President Jerry Falwell Jr. on Monday, suggesting he step down after he mocked Virginias mask-wearing requirement by invoking the blackface scandal that engulfed the states governor last year. Jerry Falwell, whose legacy the alumni invoked in imploring the younger Falwell to stop this infantile behavior.In response, Falwell said his comment about the blackface scandal was made in defense of Liberty students, including minorities, who would be affected by tuition assistance cuts proposed by Gov. In recent weeks, Falwell has jabbed repeatedly at Northam while downplaying the public health risks of the coronavirus. While your tweet may have been in jest about Virginias Governor, it made light of our nations painful history of slavery and racism, the alumni wrote to Falwell. The rebuke came after an online instructor for Liberty, a black pastor who also teaches at Ithaca College, announced his resignation online in response to the tweet.

(AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)Your daily look at nonvirus stories in the news:1. FALWELL REBUKED Nearly three dozen black alumni of Liberty University are denouncing school President Jerry Falwell Jr., suggesting he step down after he mocked Virginias mask-wearing requirement by invoking the blackface scandal that engulfed the states governor last year. CENSUS OFF TO STRONG START The U.S. Census Bureau says it has reached its predicted goal for households answering the 2020 census questionnaire on their own 60.5%. FORMER AUBURN FOOTBALL COACH DIES AT 80 Pat Dye took over a downtrodden program in 1981 and turned it into a Southeastern Conference power. In 12 years, he had a 99-39-4 record and Auburn won or shared four conference titles.