Christian Teacher Wins MAJOR Settlement

Jessica Tapia, a Christian high-school teacher who was fired for refusing to use students’ “preferred pronouns,” as well as refusing to hide her students’ gender identities from their parents, has been awarded a $360,000 settlement from the Jurupa Unified School District in California.

The settlement comes one year after Tapia sued the Jurupa Unified School District in California’s federal court.

For more than 20 years, Tapia had been involved in the School District in her roles as a student, a coach and a teacher but she knew that “from the second that I was pulled into my first meeting with the district, I knew this was some serious spiritual warfare and just a battle on truth that we’re seeing across the nation, especially in education and in and around children,” as she told Fox News Digital.

On September 30, 2022, Tapia was given a “Notice of Unprofessional Conduct and notified her that pursuant to California Education Code section 44938, she had engaged in unprofessional conduct” and lodged “twelve meritless allegations” against her.

A disturbing point in the case is when Tapia told Fox News Digital that her students went to social media and “they discovered things that I don’t discuss in class.” This should have proven to be a net positive for the school as teachers refusing to bring their own personal political views into the classroom are true educators, but no, this did not end up being the case.

Some tried to take issue with her being affiliated with the school district on her social media accounts, this simply was a non-issue. But as an “outspoken Christian conservative,” some students took it upon themselves to take issue with “some of my values and beliefs that didn’t align with theirs,” Tapia stated.

Tapia’s “Jesus highlight” on Instagram was of particular interest to the students who sent the school district several of her posts.

“Once students found me on social media, they reported me immediately to the school district. The next day, I was pulled out of my class away from my students, never to return again,” Tapia told Fox News Digital.

“I was placed on paid administrative leave, which then led to three various meetings at the school district office.”

The school district accused Tapia of “posting offensive content on her public Instagram account, referencing her faith during conversations with students, and expressing controversial opinions on issues pertaining to gender identity.”

“A Plan of Assistance and Directives” was then given to Tapia. These directives mandated she “lie to parents about their children’s gender identity, refer to students by their preferred pronouns, refrain from expressing her religious beliefs with students or on her social media, and allow students to use the bathroom or locker room that matched their preferred sex.”

Can somebody say, infringement of First Amendment rights!

As these directives so clearly went against her dearly held religious convictions, she sought a religious accommodation.

“That third and final meeting in January 2023 was the religious accommodation meeting where I was questioned up and down on my Christian faith,” Tapia said. “And at the end of that, they decided from that that they could not accommodate my religious beliefs and were therefore firing me.”

According to Tapia, no student had ever approached her requesting to be identified by the opposite sex or asking her to be allowed to enter and use the girls’ locker room as a male. As such, all of these bizarre directives were really acting as a litmus test to see how she “would hypothetically handle a situation with a transgender student if I were to ever have one.”

Julianne Fleischer of Advocates for Faith & Freedom who took on Tapia’s case, told Fox News Digital Tapia had “no negative performance reviews” and always “maintained a level of respect for every student that she’s had.”

Tapia said if the “so-called religion that the school districts apparently hold were in place when I was a student,” she may never have been invited by her swim coach to be involved in a Bible study at the high school.

An initiative started by “Teachers Don’t Lie” which was started by Advocates for Faith & Freedom has welcomed Tapia as one of their partners. The initiative seeks to equip teachers with information and resources on their constitutional rights as faithful Americans working within education.

“These are our students, but they’re not our children. And so, we have to hold that … respect for parents; parental rights first and foremost, above anything, that’s their child,” Tapia said.

“I was being asked to leave my beliefs at the schoolhouse gate for the eight hours a day that I was there and just do … whatever they were asking me to do. You know, and that was a scary thought, too, because I’m like, ‘If this is what you’re asking me to do now, I know it’s not going to stop here.’”

Perspective

“Preferred pronouns” have become all the rage in Western society with many corporations and even government institutions now mandating their use as so clearly seen throughout this story.

Demands for your “preferred pronouns” are nonsensical and highly political.

How is this so? Because, it is based upon coercion. Individuals try to coerce and/or force others into taking part in a lie!

For example, if a man wants to be called by feminine pronouns (she/her), not only is he in denial of absolute reality but he is requesting everyone else to also take part in his delusion.

Using someone’s “preferred pronouns” is most often characterized as being “kind” or “tolerant” but how can this be when you are taking part in the furtherance of a lie someone believes? Last we checked, if someone is trying to live in an alternative universe, they need psychiatric assistance not someone to take part in absurdity!

Conclusion

Honesty is like a kiss on the lips, it is loving, it is intimate and it is done out of love (Proverbs 24:26).

Taking part in a lie, or even being coerced to take part in one, is nothing short of wickedness and we as believers are called to be as Christ is!

Does Christ lie to us? No, He most certainly does not. Does He speak the truth to us in love? He 100% does. Does He seek to heal and restore us and bring us back into communion with God? Yes, He absolutely does! Since we know these things, we should be striving to do the very same with those we do and do not know.

As displayed in Tapia’s story, she took a stand – a stand which came at a cost, but a stand which honored God and ultimately produced a blessing!

Whatever the enemy seeks to harm us with, know that God will turn around and use that very attack for our good and His glory!

God will always be our defender.

Genesis 50:19-20

“But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.”

Romans 12:19-21

“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

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