Re: CA Teacher Fired for Refusing to Use Preferred Pronouns; Wins Big in Lawsuit

BTR1701 <no_email@invalid.invalid> wrote:

A California school district has settled a lawsuit with a teacher who says
she was fired over her religious beliefs after she refused to use students'
preferred pronouns, attorneys say.

The Jurupa Unified School District in Riverside County agreed to pay
$360,000 to Jessica Tapia, her attorneys at Advocates for Faith & Freedom
said in a May 14 news release.

The settlement closes a federal lawsuit Tapia filed last May that alleged
the district's decision to fire Tapia violated her civil and 1st Amendment
rights, according to the lawsuit.

The alleged violations in part stemmed from her refusal to call students by
their preferred pronouns, along with her concern about not revealing
students' gender identities to parents, the lawsuit says.

That's an illegal order. A teacher is obliged by child welfare law to
disclose harm or potential harm to a child in his care, or if he
witnesses something harmful.

"Today's settlement serves as a reminder that religious freedom is
protected, no matter your career,"Julianne Fleischer, one of Tapia's
attorneys, said in the release.

While the district approved the settlement Monday, May 13, it "has not
admitted any fault or wrongdoing against Ms. Tapia," Jacqueline Paul, a
spokesperson for the district, said in an emailed statement to McClatchy
News.

Believe whatever gets you through the night.

"The decision to settle this case was made in conjunction with the
District's self-insurance authority and in the best interest of the
students, such that the District can continue to dedicate all of its
resources and efforts to educate and support its student population
regardless of their protected class," Paul said.

I don't think they are protecting them.

Tapia worked at the district since 2014, most recently as a physical
education teacher at Jurupa Valley High School, the lawsuit says.

Days before the end of the 2021-2022 school year, the lawsuit says Tapia
was put on administrative leave after posts on her personal Instagram
account were brought to the District's attention.

"The District claimed Ms. Tapia's social media posts were racist,
offensive, disrespectful, and mocking towards individuals based upon their
sexual orientation," the lawsuit says.

[How exactly can one be racist toward someone based on their sexual
orientation?]

Excuse me. "Individual" is offensive to those who believe they are
multiple persons.

The district went on to accuse Tapia of "proselytizing during P.E. class,"
as well as refusing to call students by their preferred pronouns, the suit
says.

Huh? Is there an explanation for this, or was it made up out of whole
cloth?

In late September 2022, the lawsuit says Tapia received a "Notice of
Unprofessional Conduct", wherein the district listed directives she must
follow in order to keep her job. Along with using students' preferred
pronouns, this included allowing students to use the bathroom that matches
with their gender identity and not discussing the Bible with her students,
according to the lawsuit.

I'd say "must not" discuss the Bible with students while on the job.

. . .

Paul said the settlement, which precludes her from seeking future
employment with the district, is not a win for Ms. Tapia but is in
compromise of a disputed claim.

That's interesting. No, not a win.

"The settlement certainly does not state or prove any illegal action or
discrimination by the District," Paul said.

A June 2022 report from the UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute found
that an estimated 1.4% of 13- to 17-year-olds identified as transgender.