Cat Ears

A “bilingual, disabled, morbidly obese, neurodivergent queer black Latina” member of an Arizona school board who “wears cat ears” recently said she opposes having student teachers from a local Christian college in district schools “due to their beliefs.”

According to a Fox News report, Tamillia Valenzuela of the Washington Elementary School District Governing Board allegedly “blasted” the district’s now-dissolved years-long relationship with “Arizona Christian University” in part due to the institution’s belief in Jesus Christ and how such could affect the “LGBTQIAP+” community.

“While I full-heartedly believe in the religious freedom and people being able to practice whatever faith that they have, I had some concerns regarding looking at this particular institution,” Valenzuela said. “My concerns when I go to Arizona Christian University’s website, they are committed to Jesus Christ, accomplishing his will and advancements on earth as in Heaven. These include things such as the centrality of family, traditional sexual morality, and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman.”

Valenzuela believes ACU student teachers might “influence” students and others to become “Biblically-minded.” She asked “How does that hold space for our members of the LGBT community? How does that space for people who think differently and do not have the same beliefs?” adding that continuing the contract with ACU would make her feel “like she could not be safe.”

Washington Elementary’s Governing Board late last month voted unanimously to break off its relationship with ACU. Over 100 ACU student teachers had been placed in district schools in the last five years, AZFamily reports.

School board guru: Democracy is great  until it makes decisions I don’t like