A veteran Connecticut teacher has been placed on administrative leave and could be sacked over her refusal to remove a cross from her workspace in her classroom.
Marisol Arroyo-Castro, 61, has been teaching at the same school in the district of New Britain for 32 years.
The devout Christian told CBN News she was ordered to remove the crucifix which had been on the wall next to her desk in her classroom workspace for the past decade without causing any concern.
Now the school has decided having the cross visible to her Grade-7 students is a violation of laws mandating religious neutrality in public schools.
The school allegedly told the teacher that failure to take it down would be considered punishable insubordination.
Ms. Arroyo-Castro initially moved to hide it, but became so upset at her actions, she put it back on the wall.
She was suspended without pay for two-days and then put on administrative leave.
School District Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper said: “We will not allow any teacher to use their position of authority to impose their personal religious beliefs or infringe on the civil rights of our students.”
“Our commitment is to ensure a learning environment where all students and staff feel respected and valued, regardless of their faith or beliefs.”
A school statement claimed the teacher’s actions “have led to complaints from multiple students and staff of various faiths, who have expressed discomfort in what should be a neutral and inclusive learning environment.”
Dr. Gasper added: “Specifically, we must investigate whether Ms. Arroyo-Castro referred to her students as ‘sinners’ and told students of varying faiths that they ‘need Jesus’ — among other concerning reports.”
Keisha Russell, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, who is acting for the teacher in suing school officials, told CBN News she believes her client is perfectly within her rights to have the cross near her desk, noting other educators place articles on display that mirror their own personal likes and perspectives.
She argued the “school district cannot censor” the crucifix and that Ms. Arroyo-Castro should be treated like other educators who place symbols and photos next to their desks.
“That is a violation of the Free Speech Clause,” she said of the ban.
“And that’s just the first Constitutional provision that the school district is breaking, because there are several other laws that they’re breaking here.”
Ms. Russell compared the case to that of former school football coach Joe Kennedy, who won a landmark US Supreme Court case in his battle to privately pray at the 50-yard line.
Kennedy lost his job, but was exonerated by the highest court in the land.
“You would think that because that case was so big that people would understand that the government doesn’t own you just because you work for them,” Ms. Russell said.
“So I don’t understand really why the district feels the need to bully this teacher and try and get her to take down a crucifix when she has every right to have it on that wall.”
Ms. Arroyo-Castro said fellow teachers have expressed surprise and some have been supportive.
But she insisted she “couldn’t really live” with herself if she had taken down the cross and complied.
“I knew that I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” she added.
“The Constitution was meant to protect religious liberty, not to hinder it,” she reflected.
Photo: Marisol Arroyo-Castro,
