Arizona Christian University (ACU) has vowed to fight back after its students were banned from teaching at 32 schools in the state capital Phoenix.
Without notice the Washington Elementary School District Board voted against continuing a student-teacher partnership program with ACU that had been in place for 11 years with many of the students eventually taking full-time teaching posts in the district.
The contract renewal was expected to be a routine agenda item with a recommendation from the school district’s administration that it be continued.
But the five person board has recently undergone a shake-up. Four of the members are first term officials with three identifying as members of the LGBT community.
They argued that accepting education majors from a university with biblical values in teaching roles would pose too much of a threat to LGBT school pupils.
That’s despite student-teachers having to sign legal agreements that prevent them from discriminating against any school pupil.
The Christian Post reports that the exemplary performance of ACU student-teachers throughout the decade-long program was also not enough to convince the board, even given a teacher shortage in the state.
One of the LGBT members Tamillia Valenzuela claimed she “full-heartedly believed in religious freedom and people being able to practice whatever faith that they have,” but at the same time she couldn’t support student-teachers with traditional Christian values in the classroom.
Other board members indicated their main concern was with ACU, saying that there were “plenty” of Christian denominations that were LGBT friendly, but ACU was not.
They also claimed to have emails from ‘community members’ opposing the renewal of the partnership with ACU.
The Christian Post reports the board president Nikkie Gomez-Whaley argued that she doesn’t believe Christian student-teachers can separate their Christian values from their professional obligations making them unable to treat students equally.
“I simply don’t know how a piece of paper can change somebody’s underlying value system. Even though they may no do anything illegal, where they are preaching or using Bible verses, how do you shut off an essential part of your being, and not be biased to the individuals in which you are in charge of nurturing and supporting unconditionally?” she asked. “I don’t see how that disconnect is possible.”
An AZCentral commentator concluded: “It seems the university’s budding educators are simply too Christian to be allowed to teach in the district’s schools.”
ACU president Len Munsil labelled the action as “wrong” and “unlawful” that will only harm the district’s school students.
“Religious liberty and freedom of conscience are bedrock American principles. We are exploring our options to defend the rights of our students,” he added.
It seems the board also has other Christian partners in its sights.
AZCentral reports that teachers say a successful leadership program tailored for children with behavioural issues has been shut down because it was run by a faith-based group and that student-teachers from the Christian Grand Canyon University could be the next to go.
“There was no basis for it,” Lisa Hayes, who has taught in the district for 11 years, told the news outlet.
“Nothing has happened that should have initiated this, except for their [the school board members’] hypothetical ideas. This is discrimination, and it’s disappointing and disheartening in such a diverse school district that has always celebrated its diversity.”
Julie Stark, who has taught in the district for 27 years agreed, saying: “The board has no proof that a student-teacher or teacher from Arizona Christian University or Grand Canyon University has ever violated district policy state or federal policy regarding separation of church and state.”
“This is discrimination against all employees of faith, especially those who are Christian,” she said.
The president and chairman of Christian advocate the American Council Tanner DiBella called it “blatantly anti-religious bigotry.”
He vowed to pledge resources to vote against school board members when they’re up for re-election next year.
UPDATE: Arizona Christian University has filed a federal lawsuit against the Washington Elementary School District alleging religious discrimination.
“This civil rights action seeks to protect a Christian university and its students’ fundamental rights to religious exercise and speech and to be free from unlawful governmental discrimination simply because of their religious status and beliefs,” ACU’s lawyers from Alliance Defending Freedom stated.
