A California teacher is suing her former school district for firing her after she refused to hide information from parents about their children changing genders.
The Jurupa Unified School District in Riverside, California, allegedly fired teacher Jessica Tapia earlier this year when she refused to participate in the district's "gender affirming" policies, including allowing students to use restrooms and lockers that did not match their biological sex and hiding gender affirming care from parents.
Tapia decided to fight back against what she said was against her religious beliefs and is suing the district for wrongful termination, her legal firm Advocates for Faith & Freedom said in a press release announcing the lawsuit.
"People of faith should be allowed to maintain their personal beliefs without fear of losing their job," Mariah Gondeiro, vice president and legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom said in the release. "Jessica Tapia was not dismissed for any wrongdoing, rather, she was dismissed for her Christian beliefs. This is a clear violation of our constitutional rights. We need more educators like her who grasp the fact that parents are partners and the final arbiters of their children, not obstacles to work around. Jessica Tapia represents the values and integrity of educators across our country who are standing up for their beliefs, not backing down. We are proud to stand with Jessica and will continue to advocate for her and her values."
Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a nonprofit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts, according to the organization.
The release said the district "mandates that teachers and support staff participate in gender affirming care that is deceptive to parents, endangers students in school changing rooms and bathrooms, and directs faculty and staff to refrain from expressing their personal views and opinions on these policies; a clear violation of their First Amendment Rights."
"What has happened to me can happen to anybody," Tapia said in the release. "My story is not just mine. It is the story of every teacher of morals and faith. It is the story of every parent whose first priority is protecting their children."
The suit claims that the district fired Tapia because of her desire to be honest with parents and endorse the policies that conflicted with her religious beliefs.
"I knew immediately, like in my gut, in my soul, that there was a decision I had to make," Tapia said in the firm's March newsletter. "These two things were totally butting heads. I had to essentially pick one."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.