Jessica Tapia, a former teacher in the Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) in California, settled a wrongful termination lawsuit for $360,000 after being fired in 2022. Tapia claimed she was dismissed due to her Christian faith conflicting with district policies on gender identity, including using students’ preferred pronouns. The lawsuit alleged that Tapia was required to lie to parents about their children’s gender identity and refrain from expressing her religious beliefs in school or on social media. Despite requesting accommodations due to her religious beliefs, Tapia’s employment was terminated when the district refused to provide any accommodation. JUSD settled the lawsuit with Tapia, emphasizing that the settlement does not admit fault or wrongdoing. Tapia has since launched “Teachers Don’t Lie,” a program to support teachers and provide legal assistance.
