The Jurupa Unified School District in Southern California has agreed to a settlement of $360,000 with former gym teacher Jessica Tapia, who alleged religious discrimination leading to her termination in January 2023. The settlement, finalized on Tuesday, marks the resolution of a lawsuit filed by Tapia through Advocates for Faith & Freedom, a legal nonprofit specializing in defending religious liberty.
This is how you win. 👊👊👊👊👊
You DON'T Back down.
Congrats Ms. Jessica Tapia for refusing to bow down to these controlling psychotic tyrants.
California district TO PAY $360K to teacher fired for not following transgender policies.
Jessica sued the school for… pic.twitter.com/96Tzsz1OY1
— Denise (@Likeshesays) May 17, 2024
Tapia’s lawsuit claimed that her dismissal stemmed from her refusal to adhere to the district’s gender-identity policies, which conflicted with her Christian beliefs. Allegations against Tapia included her purported failure to address students by their preferred pronouns, her refusal to allow boys in the girls’ locker room and her discussions of religion on social media — which she has pushed back on, as she noted she did not identify herself as a district employee when making the posts.
🇺🇸 California is a basket case.
Jessica Tapia, a former high school PE teacher in California, got fired for saying:
"I’m a PE teacher. I oversee a locker room. I will not be allowing biological males into the female locker room.” pic.twitter.com/0b90f3f2aO
— Frantruth 🇬🇧 (@frantruth) June 13, 2023
Despite the settlement, the school district maintained its position of non-admission of fault or wrongdoing. Tapia, who had served the district for over 20 years, expressed her disappointment at being barred from seeking employment within the district as part of the settlement terms.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom emphasized the importance of protecting religious freedom in professional contexts. Mariah Gondeiro, vice president of the organization, stressed that individuals should not fear reprisals for holding personal beliefs.
“People of faith should be allowed to maintain their personal beliefs without fear of losing their job,” said Gondeiro. “Jessica Tapia was not dismissed for any wrongdoing, rather, she was dismissed for her Christian beliefs. This is a clear violation of our Constitutional rights.”
Julianne Fleischer, legal counsel for the organization, underscored the significance of the settlement as a defense of religious liberties in the workplace. The case highlights broader debates surrounding the rights of individuals to adhere to their religious beliefs in educational settings.
“What happened to me can happen to anybody, and I want the next teacher to know that it is worth it to take a stand for what is right,” Tapia said in a statement.
Tapia’s experience serves as a cautionary tale about the potential clash between personal convictions and institutional policies in the workplace. As discussions continue regarding the intersection of religious freedom and schools’ promotion of the LGBT narrative, Tapia’s case adds nuance to the ongoing dialogue.
