Elementary school reverses discipline over same-sex marriage book
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A Nashville elementary school has cleared the record of a first-grade teacher who was disciplined for refusing to read a book about gay marriage to her teenage students, according to a report.
KIPP Antioch College Preparatory Elementary School issued a “final letter of warning” to teacher Eric Rivera in January after he refused to read an LGBTQ book included in the language arts curriculum to his class.
Because of his Christian beliefs, Rivera said he could not in good conscience read the book in his own classroom, according to the legal group First Freedom Institute, and instead asked a colleague to read it.
The next day, Rivera was summoned to the principal’s office and threatened with termination. He was told he had to remain “sticky” to the curriculum and a disciplinary letter was placed in his personnel file.
An elementary school teacher has had her record cleared after being disciplined for refusing to read an LGBTQ book to first-grade students. (iStock)
First Liberty said Rivera received no prior warning and had no disciplinary history. He later requested a religious accommodation but was instead assigned to a laboratory and technology position and then to a kindergarten position, according to the legal group.
Facing a warning letter from First Liberty in February, KIPP Antioch agreed to purge the incident from Rivera’s records, according to the legal group’s press release Monday.
The school will now also allow “any teacher to ask another employee to read material that goes against their beliefs.”
“We are pleased that the school made the right decision to accommodate Mr. Rivera for his deeply held religious views,” Cliff Martin, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said in a press release.
A person waves an LGBTQ flag during the 2025 New York City Pride Parade on June 29, 2025 in New York City. (First Freedom/Noam Galai/Getty Images)
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“Our client is deeply committed to teaching and is grateful that his record has been cleared and that reasonable accommodations will be provided moving forward,” he added.
KIPP Antioch Elementary did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
KIPP Antioch College Preparatory Elementary School is a public charter school authorized by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.
Commission told local outlet Fox 17Nashville last month, “All public charter schools must adhere to the same Tennessee academic standards as traditional public schools, and while they have flexibility in choosing curriculum and materials, they must still comply with the same state standards. All schools must comply with the prohibited concepts act and must provide a form on their website to report violations.”
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A view of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. (Metro Nashville Police Department)
“The Commission provides a form for submitting relevant complaints. banned concepts law together Other violations of charter school law on our website. “Teachers and staff at charter schools are employees of the school or charter operator and therefore all personnel issues are handled by the school.”
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