Staff Reports
Recently, a school district in Riverside County, California agreed to a $360,000 settlement in a lawsuit brought by former physical education teacher Jessica Tapia. Tapia was terminated from her position at Jurupa Valley High School for refusing to use students’ preferred pronouns and for her stance on gender identity issues, claiming her free speech and religious rights were violated.
Tapia's lawsuit alleged that she was dismissed for not addressing students by their preferred pronouns, for not allowing them to use facilities aligned with their gender identity, and for refusing to withhold information from parents about their child’s gender identity. In response to the lawsuit, the school district did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay Tapia $285,000 in addition to $75,000 for her attorneys’ fees. As part of the settlement, Tapia agreed not to seek future employment with the district, and both sides agreed not to speak negatively about each other or pursue further legal action.
A Christian Teacher Got Fired for Not Using 'Preferred Pronouns.' Here's What Happened Next. https://t.co/jG4xxmlNNH
— J. Metz (@Metz1245John) May 17, 2024
According to Julianne Fleischer, one of Tapia’s attorneys, the settlement was seen as a significant victory. Fleischer argued that Tapia’s religious beliefs were not accommodated when they could have been, and emphasized that the outcome sends a strong message that there are consequences when educators are asked to hide information.
Tapia’s termination followed several incidents where her social media posts were reported as offensive by students. When the school asked Tapia to limit her social media usage and comply with transgender policies, she refused, citing her Christian beliefs. Tapia has since joined Advocates for Faith & Freedom in their campaign "Teachers Don't Lie," aiming to support other educators facing similar challenges to their faith due to school policies.
