A former University of Arizona professor is suing the school after being reportedly fired for publicly advocating for parental rights at local school board meetings where his children attend school.
Former ethics Professor Daniel Grossenbach says the university discriminated and retaliated against him for exercising his First Amendment rights to speak out according to his religious beliefs and to protect his children.
Liberty Counsel, a faith-based non-profit legal group, not only filed a lawsuit on Grossenbach’s behalf but also filed a response brief in federal court last week to oppose a University of Arizona motion to dismiss the religious discrimination lawsuit.
“Professors at public universities and colleges do not shed their constitutional rights to free speech and religious exercise when they work for a university… the case allowed to proceed,” said Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver.
According to the legal group, Grossenbach wanted to protect his children from controversial policies implemented by Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) in 2023.
The policies prompted teachers to secretly solicit sexual information from children and push radical gender ideologies upon those students. Additionally, teachers were told to keep secret any information divulged to them, a press statement from the group explains.
“Some of CFSD’s secret surveys went as far as asking minor children about their sexual preferences and desires,” it reads.
As parents in the community began to speak about their concerns, an email surfaced from a middle school principal containing a list of gender-confused students asking teachers to use pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex and conceal it from parents.
However, school board members refused to discuss the issue with parents.
Grossenbach saw the policies as a “gross intrusion” upon parental rights and felt compelled by his religious beliefs to form SaveCFSD, a nonprofit organization focused on educating parents about school board policies and fundamental rights.
Grossenbach spoke several times at school board meetings. Each time, he included a disclaimer that he spoke for himself and not for his employer. He expressed his concern “without hate, slander, or violence,” Liberty Counsel notes.
However, Grossenbach faced severe backlash.
According to the lawsuit filed by Liberty Counsel, “anti-religious zealots turned digital critics” coordinated over social media to silence Grossenbach and his group by getting him fired from his job.
As a result, numerous anonymous complaints were filed against him with the University of Arizona, encouraging the university to discipline him for speaking out about his Christian beliefs and his parental rights.
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In November 2023, the school informed Grossenbach that it would not be renewing his part-time teaching contract for the following spring semester, citing it had received funding for a full-time faculty member. The school, however, never hired a full-time teacher nor offered his ethics course.
The lawsuit alleges that the school fired him after discovering that he was an outspoken Christian, and they also violated state law when they stalled Grossenbach for 239 days in disclosing any public records regarding his termination.
“(The University of Arizona’s) actions have inflicted irreparable damage to Professor Grossenbach’s professional career and reputation, ended his academic pursuit of a doctorate degree, decreased his earning potential, and reduced his income,” wrote Liberty Counsel. “Further, when Professor Grossenbach was terminated, he lost a potential textbook publishing deal, furthering his financial loss and reputational damage.”
In its motion to dismiss, the University of Arizona claims Grossenbach’s lawsuit, filed in August 2025, failed to meet timeliness deadlines since he was fired in November 2023.
Liberty Counsel argues the university’s motion should be denied, stating it discriminated and retaliated against him for exercising his First Amendment rights to speak out according to his religious beliefs and to protect his children.
The legal group is seeking a permanent injunction that declares the university’s discriminatory actions illegal and unconstitutional for violating Grossenbach’s constitutional rights of free speech, religious exercise, equal protection, as well as his religious protections.
They are also requesting that the professor be reinstated to his position.
“Professor Daniel Grossenbach engaged in constitutionally protected speech, religious expression, and religious exercise and was speaking on matters of public concern regarding his faith, morality, and the community. The University of Arizona cannot fire a professor for his protected speech. Viewpoint discrimination is unlawful and violates the First Amendment, and religious discrimination violates Title VII,” Staver said.
CBN News has reached out to the University of Arizona for comment and has not received a response.
