A first-grade teacher at a Nashville public charter school says he was threatened with termination after requesting a religious accommodation that would allow him to avoid reading an LGBT-themed children’s book to his students.
Eric Rivera, a Christian educator who taught at KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School, alleges that school administrators issued him a “Final Warning” letter that included a threat of termination.
The claims were outlined in a statement released Wednesday by the legal nonprofit First Liberty Institute. KIPP Antioch operates as a public charter school under the oversight of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.
According to a letter First Liberty Institute sent to school officials on Rivera’s behalf Tuesday, the dispute began in January when Rivera reviewed his Language Arts curriculum and found a book that included a same-sex couple raising a child.
“Requiring a teacher violate their religious beliefs in order to keep their job is blatant discrimination that violates the Civil Rights Act,” Cliff Martin, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said in a statement provided to The Christian Post.
“Our client cares deeply about his students and simply has a religious objection to teaching certain lessons and asked for a simple religious accommodation,” Martin continued. “The school has sent the message that anyone who has a traditional view of marriage is unfit to teach first grade.”
One of the titles Rivera was asked to read was Stella Brings the Family, according to WZTV. The story centers on a young girl with two fathers who worries about how to celebrate Mother’s Day without a mother.
Rivera reportedly told administrators that reading and leading a discussion about the book would violate his conscience. Instead, he requested that a colleague read the book to the students on Jan. 6, while he remained in the classroom to observe.
The next day, Rivera says he was called into the principal’s office and given a “Final Warning” letter that included a threat of termination.
He maintains that he had not previously received any disciplinary notices or warnings prior to the letter. Following the incident, Rivera accepted a technology teaching position before later transitioning to a kindergarten role.
In a statement to WZTV, the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission said charter schools must adhere to the same academic standards as traditional public schools.
"All schools are required to comply with the prohibited concepts law and must provide a form on their website for reporting violations," the commission stated. "The Commission provides a form for submitting complaints related to the prohibited concepts law as well as any other violations of charter school law on our website. Teachers and staff at charter schools are employees of the school or charter operator and as such all personnel matters are handled by the school.”
The dispute arises amid broader national debates over religious accommodations in public education. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case involving Maryland parents that families may opt their children out of certain LGBT-themed instructional materials that conflict with their religious beliefs.
