She was wrongfully fired.
In a recent settlement agreement, a California school district has agreed to pay $360,000 to resolve a dispute with Jessica Tapia, a Christian teacher who was reportedly terminated for her refusal to adhere to school policies regarding the use of preferred pronouns for transgender students.
Jessica Tapia, a former high school teacher within the Jurupa Unified School District, found herself at odds with school policies that she believed contradicted her religious convictions. These policies mandated the use of students’ preferred pronouns and prohibited disclosure of students’ chosen gender identities to their parents. Feeling compelled to adhere to her faith, Tapia resisted these directives, leading to her dismissal from the school.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom, a legal organization supporting Tapia, announced the settlement on behalf of their client. As part of the agreement, the school district will compensate Tapia with $285,000, in addition to $75,000 to cover her legal fees. Furthermore, Tapia has agreed not to pursue future employment within the school district, and both parties have committed to refrain from further legal action.
Julianne Fleischer, legal counsel for Advocates for Faith & Freedom, emphasized the significance of the settlement in upholding religious freedoms in all professions. Fleischer praised Tapia’s resilience in defending her beliefs and ensuring accountability within the school district.
A spokesperson for the Jurupa Unified School District emphasized that the settlement represents a compromise rather than an admission of wrongdoing. The district maintains that its actions were lawful and nondiscriminatory, asserting that Tapia’s termination was not indicative of any illegal conduct on their part.
Tapia’s dismissal occurred in January 2023, following her expression of opposition to the school’s policies regarding transgender students. In response, Tapia filed a complaint in May 2023, alleging violations of her First Amendment rights and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits religious discrimination.
The complaint outlined Tapia’s objections to directives requiring her to conceal students’ gender identities from parents, use preferred pronouns, refrain from sharing her religious beliefs, and permit students to utilize facilities based on their preferred gender. Despite Tapia’s request for accommodation based on her religious convictions, the district declined and terminated her employment.
Come to TN. You’ll fit in.