Arizona Christian University pledges action after school district bans student-teachers due to faith
-
Loading... - Maria Laine
- 07 Mar 2023
- 63 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Days after the five-member governing board of the Washington Elementary School District in Arizona voted to ban student-teachers from Arizona Christian University from the district due to their commitment to traditional Christian values, the university’s president has slammed the decision as “wrong” and “unlawful” and pledged to fight back.
“The school board's recent decision to ban ACU students from serving as student teachers was done for one reason only: our university's commitment to our Christian convictions. That's wrong, it’s unlawful, and it will only hurt the district’s students,” ACU President Len Munsil said in a statement to The Christian Post.
“Religious liberty and freedom of conscience are bedrock American principles. We are exploring our options to defend the rights of our students,” he added.
At a board meeting held on Feb. 23, school district officials recommended renewing a partnership with Arizona Christian University education students to engage classes as student-teachers and practicums that had existed for 11 years. The school board members, three of whom identify as members of the LGBT community, opted to nix the agreement, arguing that having student teachers with biblical values in the state’s largest and one of the best elementary school districts would pose too much of a threat to LGBT students.
Munsil, however, said that over the course of ACU’s partnership with the district, they have had no problems. Student teachers from the university have done such a great job, he added, many of them were hired as full-time teachers and administrators asked the university to send them more students because of how well they have done in the classroom.
“For years Arizona Christian University has partnered with the Washington Elementary School District. More than 100 ACU students have served the district, including 25 student teachers, many of whom were hired full time after graduation,” Munsil said. “Administrators have time and again asked us to send more ACU students because of the quality of our students' work and their love and servant's hearts for all.” Read More…
