A Nashville Christian teacher has won a major religious liberty victory after his school disciplined him - and nearly fired him - for asking not to read same-sex marriage books to first graders.
What Happened
First grade teacher Eric Rivera at KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee, was assigned to read LGBTQ-inclusive books as part of the school's language arts curriculum. Due to his Christian beliefs, Rivera said he could not in good conscience read the books to his class and asked a colleague to read them instead.
The school's response was swift and severe. The next day, Rivera was summoned to the principal's office, threatened with termination, and told he must maintain "fidelity" to the curriculum. A discipline letter was placed in his personnel file - despite Rivera having no prior warnings or discipline history.
It didn't stop there. Rivera was then reassigned - first to a lab and technology position, then to a kindergarten position - after he formally requested a religious accommodation.
The Books in Question
The books Rivera declined to read were Stella Brings the Family and In Our Mothers' House - both featuring same-sex parents and included in the school's language arts curriculum.
The Legal Fight
Rivera turned to First Liberty Institute, one of the nation's premier religious liberty law firms. First Liberty sent a formal warning letter to the school, citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of religion and requires reasonable religious accommodations unless doing so creates undue hardship.
Senior Counsel Cliff Martin was direct: "Requiring a teacher to violate their religious beliefs in order to keep their job is blatant discrimination that violates the Civil Rights Act. Our client cares deeply about his students and simply has a religious objection to teaching certain lessons and asked for a simple religious accommodation."
The School Backed Down
After receiving First Liberty's warning letter in February, KIPP Antioch agreed to clear the discipline incident from Rivera's record entirely. The school also made a broader concession - agreeing to allow all teachers to ask another employee to read materials they find objectionable to their faith.
"We are pleased that the school has made the right decision by accommodating Mr. Rivera for his deeply held religious views," Martin said. "Our client is deeply devoted to teaching and is grateful that his record has been cleared and reasonable accommodations will be provided going forward."
KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary is a public charter school authorized by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission. The Commission noted that while charter schools have flexibility in selecting curriculum materials, all schools must comply with Tennessee's prohibited concepts law and are required to provide a reporting form on their website for violations.
For Christians in education across the country, Rivera's case is a powerful reminder that deeply held religious convictions in the workplace are federally protected - and worth standing up for.
