Does this case show that the tide is turning away from this kind of persecution?
Jessica Tapia, a teacher in the Jorupa Unified School District, was fired a year ago for her religious beliefs and belief in telling students and parents the truth. Tapia was a teacher and a coach in the district. She sued the district and was awarded a $360,000 settlement from Jorupa Unified on Tuesday.
The trouble for Tapia began on September 30, 2022 when the district sent her “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.
Tapia had posted some of her personal Christian beliefs, which she never discussed with her students, on her social media. She stated that she didn’t believe in transgender directives and would never lie to parents about their children. She never identified herself on her social media as affiliated with the school district. However, some of her students found the posts and determined “some of my values and beliefs didn’t align with theirs.” The students then reported Tapia to the school district, and she was immediately placed on administrative leave and removed from the school.
“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” Tapia stated.
If that had happened in MD, would the $360K be added to the MOE?