A Christian teacher was terminated after disagreeing with the school's gender identity policies and stressing that she cannot mislead the parents of her students who are experiencing confusion regarding their gender identities.
Jurupa Unified School District, located in Jurupa Valley, California, fired physical education teacher Jessica Tapia effective January 31 for her refusal to comply with the school district's policy that requires her to hide student's gender transitions from parents if, without student consent, Christian Post reported.
Tapia, a Christian, explained that lying or withholding information about the well-being of her students from their parents is against her religious beliefs. She certainly believes that it is not how God would want it to be, especially since these kids, ages 12 to 15, are in crucial stages and need their parent's guidance and presence. On the other hand, parents should not be left in the dark about significant matters in their children's lives.
She expressed her disappointment to Fox News Digital and stated that she knew, in her heart and soul, that she had to make a very important decision.
"Am I going to obey the district in the directive that are not lining up with... my own beliefs, convictions and faith? Or am I going to stay true..., choose my faith, choose to be obedient to... the way the Lord has called me to live. And so it was crazy to be in the position where I realized that I couldn't be a Christian and a teacher," Tapia declared.
School allows students to enter their chosen gender's locker room
After explaining to the school administration, she received a letter from Daniel Brooks, the assistant superintendent of human resources, telling her that she was dismissed from her job as the school district could not "accommodate" her request for a religious exception.
The letter stated that since her religious beliefs disallow her from being dishonest with parents or deflecting parents' concerns and refraining from disclosing her student's gender identity from their parents or guardians, the district can no longer have her as a teacher of the school.
Tapia revealed that the district's gender identity policies require teachers to call students by their preferred pronouns, not talk about their gender transition to parents unless students give them consent because students have the right to privacy and even allow transgender students to go inside the locker rooms of the gender that they choose to have so as not to discriminate against these students.
According to CBN News, she clearly stated that she could not allow students with "male genitals" in the female locker room.
She stated that her faith tells her that God calling the people to love the LGBTQ community does not mean affirming the confusion and the lies. Confusions and lies come "from the devil," Tapia boldly stated.
Read also : Judge Dismisses Parents' Lawsuit Against School Gender Policy but Scolds School District
School denies allegations
Tapia chose to become a teacher because she wanted to make an impact and "be a light" to the children coming from rugged, broken homes as it had been for her. Yet, if choosing God would mean losing her profession, it might just be the "impact" she prayed for.
She plans to take legal action against the school district.
According to The Blaze, Jurupa Unified School District denied Tapia's allegations against the school.
In a statement given to Fox News Digital, the district stated that it had no intent to discriminate against the former teacher's religious beliefs. It is seriously obligated to accommodate every religious belief of its employees. However, it is bound to comply with local, state, and federal laws, including anti-discrimination laws and the rights to privacy of the students they serve.
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