Two months after facing heat for cutting ties with Arizona Christian University (ACU) in an apparent case of religious discrimination, the Washington Elementary School District (WESD) has gone back on its actions. In response, the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which sued the district, said it was the right move.
“At a time when a critical shortage of qualified, caring teachers exists, the Washington Elementary School District board did the right thing by prioritizing the needs of elementary school children and agreeing to partner once again with ACU’s student-teachers,” said ADF senior counsel David Cortman.
As reported by The Arizona Sun Times, ADF filed the lawsuit in March, arguing that the WESD committed religious discrimination when severing a contract with ACU. This contract had been upheld for 11 years and allowed ACU students to gain teaching experience by working in district classrooms.
However, during a board meeting in February, Board Member Tamaillia Valenzuela (pictured above), seen wearing cat ears, said she was no longer comfortable partnering with ACU. The university overtly promotes Christian values, such as a traditional view of marriage. Valenzuela said that as a member of the LGBTQ community, she felt “unsafe” allowing people with these values into district classrooms.
ADF argued this action infringed ACU’s rights to express religious beliefs without persecution, which violates state and national law. Aside from the legal heat, the board faced backlash from constituents and other district employees. In April, parents of WESD students pushed to have Board President Nikkie Gomez-Whaley removed from her position.
Ultimately, the WESD board decided to roll back its decision and reinstate a contract with ACU. A special meeting was held Wednesday, where board members nearly unanimously voted to resolve the lawsuit. The only vote against the motion came from Valenzuela.
As part of this agreement, WESD has guaranteed ACU five more years of their partnership and agreed to pay the university’s $25,000 attorney fees. Following this, ADF officially filed a notice of dismissal on Thursday, ending the lawsuit.
Following the settlement, ACU President Len Munsil said it was a victory for religious liberty.
“This is a complete vindication of the rights of our students to be able to participate as student-teachers in a public school district without fear of religious discrimination,” said Munsil. “We obtained everything we wanted in this new agreement, without any sacrifice or compromise to our beliefs and our university’s religious purpose. We look forward to a continued beneficial partnership that serves ACU student-teachers and the students, faculty, and staff of the WESD.”
Moreover, the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP), another faith-based nonprofit, applauded the victory and perseverance of ACU.
“ACU uses the tagline ‘Courageously Christian’ as a reminder of the required courage to stand for Christ and biblical truth in an increasingly hostile environment,” wrote CAP President Cathi Herrod. “We join ACU and other Christians in thanking God for a victory that sends a clear and encouraging message.”
#ReligiousFreedom VICTORY! @WESDschools settles #religious #discrimination lawsuit w/ Arizona Christian University @ACU_AZ. Complete vindication of the rights of ACU students to be able to participate as student teachers without fear of religious discrimination. pic.twitter.com/N8szbhYFZV
— Center for AZ Policy (@azpolicy) May 4, 2023
Furthermore, other Arizonans, such as Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale), also joined in celebrating. Kern was one of the first to spotlight WESD’s actions and had called for Valenzuela’s resignation soon after the initial meeting.
“Good news for the Constitution and religious freedom; bad news for ‘Cat Ears’ and the rest of the Democrats on the Washington Elementary School Board,” Kern tweeted.
Good news for the Constitution and religious freedom; bad news for "Cat Ears" and the rest of the Democrats on the Washington Elementary School Board.
BTW – How much do the taxpayers have to pay??https://t.co/YJjd5LRSZP
— Anthony Kern (@anthonykernAZ) May 5, 2023
The statewide teacher shortage remains in bad condition as 20 percent of classroom vacancies remain unfulfilled in 2023.
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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tamillia Valenzuela” by Washington Elementary School District. Background Photo “Arizona Christian University” by Arizona Christian University.
