A Christian university is reportedly suing an Arizona public school district for ending its years-long student-teaching partnership with the faculty over alleged religious discrimination.
Arizona Christian University filed a lawsuit against the Washington Elementary School District, which oversees students within the Phoenix area, Thursday after the college board terminated the contract that allowed ACU students to show inside the district’s schools, 12 News reported.
The college board unanimously voted on Feb. 23 to finish the contract — sparking backlash from a gaggle of people that showed as much as the board’s meeting Thursday to sentence the board’s decision.
Dozens of speakers on the packed board meeting argued that the board members acted discriminatory towards Christians of their decision to terminate the contract.
“This recent contract dismissal of student teachers affiliated with ACU based on assumption is completely biased,” Aaron Cericola said through the public comments period. “It’s unsuitable and completely discriminatory towards Christians generally.”
But supporters of the board’s decision argued that the values of ACU discriminates against LGBTQ students and teachers.
“I stand in full solidarity with Tamillia Valenzuela and the WASD board,” Hector Jaramillo said. “Cutting ties with ACU had nothing to do with religion. It had all the things to do with an establishment that views the LGBTQ+ community as bestiality and incest — it’s on the web site and so they group it inside the same parenthesis.”
Throughout the February meeting, board member Tamillia Valenzuela said the university’s religious beliefs, including its anti-LGBTQ statements, shouldn’t be introduced into the district’s public schools.
“A part of their values is… [to] ‘transform the culture with truth by promoting the Biblically-informed values which can be foundational to Western civilization, including the centrality of family, traditional sexual morality, and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman,’” Valenzuela said.
“I need to know the way bringing [teachers] from an establishment that’s ingrained of their values so directly brings impact to a few of your board members who’re an element of the LGBT community.”
She added that she “fully wholeheartedly believes in religious freedom,” but has concerns over the institution itself.
ACU has asked a judge to reinstate its contract with the college district for the 2023-2024 school 12 months.
“Despite there being zero complaints about an Arizona Christian student teacher or alumnus, the School District decided to terminate its relationship with Arizona Christian and its students solely due to their religious status and beliefs on biblical marriage and sexuality,” the lawsuit states.
Student teachers from the university are instructed to follow the procedures and rules of their assigned districts and schools, based on the suit.
