Chris Lange, FISM News
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A Glendale, Arizona school board that cut ties with a Christian university over its biblical views on marriage and sexuality must now pay $25,000 to end a federal lawsuit.
The Washington Elementary School District Governing Board representing 32 elementary and middle schools has also agreed to resume its student teaching partnership with Arizona Christian University (ACU) and allow its legal representatives to monitor its practices for five years as part of the settlement agreement.
“By discriminating against Arizona Christian University and denying it an opportunity to participate in the student-teacher program because of its religious status and beliefs, the school district was in blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution, not to mention state law that protects ACU’s religious freedom,” Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman stated in a news release. ADF filed the lawsuit against the district on behalf of ACU.
It's a win for elementary students, religious freedom, and common sense.https://t.co/JMhhKplYll
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) May 8, 2023
“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,” Cortman stated.
The district abruptly severed its 11-year partnership with the Christian university after school board member Tamilla Valenzuela, who identifies as a “bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent queer black Latina,” claimed that the continued presence of ACU student teachers at schools would make students feel “unsafe.” She argued that the university’s biblical views on marriage and sexuality were “openly bigoted.”
“While I full-heartedly believe in the religious freedom and people being able to practice whatever faith that they have, I had some concerns regarding looking at this particular institution,” Valenzuela said in February 2023, as reported by College Fix. Valenzuela took particular issue with the university’s Christ-honoring commitment.
“My concerns […] when I go to Arizona Christian University’s website, [they are] ‘committed to Jesus Christ, accomplishing his will and advancements on earth as in Heaven,’” she said.
In Arizona, a member of the school board, who constantly wears headbands with cat ears, offered to refuse to cooperate with teachers from a Christian University.
According to Fox News, Tamilla Valenzuela is embarrassed that they promote family values, pic.twitter.com/E34Nqhmg8p
— Viktoriya Samarina (@viktoriyarus34) March 4, 2023
BOARD PRESIDENT: DISTRICT WILL PARTNER WITH RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS IF THEY SUPPORT LBGTQ IDEOLOGY
Washington Elementary Governing Board President Nikkie Gomez-Whaley insisted at the time that the decision was “not a rejection of any particular faith” and that the district was willing to continue “partnering with faith-based organizations” as long as they “share our commitment to equity & inclusion.”
World News noted that Gomez-Whaley is the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Planned Parenthood in Arizona.
The outlet also reported that a March 9 school board meeting “attracted an overflow crowd” that included teachers, parents, and other community members who strenuously objected to the board’s decision to terminate the ACU contract. ADF filed the lawsuit against the district on the same day.
ADF attorney Jake Reed said that U.S. District Judge Steven Logan’s push for a speedy resolution to the lawsuit is what likely prompted the board’s abrupt about-face. Reed surprised both parties by setting a trial date of May 24, just 10 weeks after the lawsuit was filed.
“That’s extremely unusual,” Reed said, noting that a typical case takes between one or two years to go to trial. “I think that’s what prompted reaching a resolution,” he said.
The school board did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement. Reed said board members’ hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs reflects a growing animosity in the U.S. toward traditional religious beliefs.
“So it is a little surprising that you have the government — government officials — openly violating the Constitution by discriminating [against] people and a university with religious beliefs,” he said.
Four of the board’s five members voted to restore ties with the university, with Valenzuela being the lone hold–out. Three of the members are “part of the LGBTQ community,” according to Fox News.
‘COMPLETE VINDICATION’
“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,” ACU President Len Munsil said in a statement released on Thursday. “We obtained everything we wanted in this new agreement, without any sacrifice or compromise to our beliefs and our university’s religious purpose.”
ACU expressed thanks to “the thousands of supporters who prayed for the University during this battle.”
“We have used the tagline ‘Courageously Christian’ at ACU to remind us that it will require courage to stand for Christ and biblical truth in a culture that is increasingly hostile,” Munsil said. “I pray we are all encouraged by this outcome, even as we recognize that our duty is only to be faithful, regardless of the outcome, because ‘victory belongs to the Lord.’”