A charter school in Nashville, TN, has reportedly removed books featuring LGBT themes from its elementary school curriculum after a high-profile conflict with a Christian teacher.
As CBN News reported, first-grade teacher Eric Rivera was disciplined for refusing to read one of the books to students earlier this year.
Rivera had been banished from his classroom at KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School after he had asked for a religious exemption from reading same-sex marriage books to the young children in his class.
First Liberty Institute has been representing Rivera in the case. “Requiring a teacher to violate their religious beliefs in order to keep their job is blatant discrimination that violates the Civil Rights Act,” Senior Counsel Cliff Martin had said. “Our client cares deeply about his students and simply has a religious objection to teaching certain lessons and asked for a simple religious accommodation.”
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In March, the school agreed to allow Rivera to follow his religious convictions and expunged the disciplinary action from his records. Now, First Liberty reports the KIPP Nashville charter school has voluntarily removed the books as well.
The Christian legal aid group is celebrating the move and reiterating its stance that teachers’ religious beliefs are protected under the First Amendment, while the U.S. Constitution and Tennessee law also protect the parental right to consent.
“We are thrilled that KIPP Nashville voluntarily removed books that could run afoul of parents’ rights under the Constitution and Tennessee law,” said Martin. “It is paramount that religious views be respected in schools.”
