Gates of Disinformation Hell Opens as AZ School Board Cuts Ties with Anti-LGBTQ Christian University
Bad faith bigots weaponize religion... again
TL;DR: On February 23, the Washington Elementary School District (WESD) unanimously voted to end their student-teacher partnership with Arizona Christian University (ACU). The board’s reasoning for severing ties was clear: the private university’s anti-LGBTQ stance does not align with their district’s non-discrimination policy. Fox News and other similar outlets quickly pounced on the story, leading to threats against the board. More recently, Arizona-based, anti-LGBTQ+ legal/hate group Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a lawsuit representing the Christian college.
Discrimination Policy vs. Non-Discrimination Policy
Founded in 1960, ACU has grown from a small ministry school to a Christian liberal arts college with a 1000+ student body. In 2010, former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Len Munsil took over as ACU’s president. Munsil is also the founder of the Center for Arizona Policy, an anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ+ conservative lobbying group. In 2001, Munsil also led a campaign attempting to stop a repeal of Arizona’s anti-sodomy laws.
Enrollment at ACU has continually grown under Munsil’s leadership. In 2021, evangelical mega donors David and Barbara Green (of Hobby Lobby) funded an expansion of the college. ACU’s ties to the religious far-right has resulted in an discriminatory environment at the school.
The evangelical Christian college requires a declaration of faith, bragging that “all trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and students declare they are followers of Jesus Christ.” Both ACU students and staff also agree to abide by the University’s policies and “maintain a lifestyle that is consistent with the student life philosophy of the University.” This “philosophy” includes multiple proclamations of anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry and discrimination.
ACU’s so-called Statement of Faith decries transgender people as “sinful and offensive to God.” The following vow outlines their stance on marriage, which is predictably only acceptable when it’s “the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.” The pledge continues to describe “homosexual conduct” as a “form of sexual immorality,” and also “sinful and offensive to God.”
The ACU student handbook additionally adds to their transphobic stance. Under the “Marriage and Human Sexuality” section, the college requires students and staff “affirm their biological sex” and refrain from “any and all attempts to physically change, alter, or disagree with their predominant biological sex.” Their clause on “sexual immorality” also condemns “same-sex sexual acts,” comparing it with “pedophilia,” “incest” and “zoophilia.”
Multiple WESD board members expressed their concerns with ACU’s stated values contradicting their own district’s non-discrimination policy (as well as the cities WESD resides in).
Board member Tamillia Valenzuela opened her comments saying she “wholeheartedly” supports the university’s right to religious freedom. Valenzuela’s key issue lied with the school’s explicit anti-LGBTQ pledge. She expressed concern for the district’s own LGBTQ+ students and drew attention to the legislative attacks they’re already facing from bigoted lawmakers.
Over the 2023 legislative session, over 400 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced nationwide. Nearly a dozen have been introduced in Arizona, with many singling out LGBTQ+ youth. Last year, former Governor Doug Ducey signed SB1138 and SB1165, limiting healthcare for transgender youth and barring trans students athletes in the state.
“At some point, we need to get real with ourselves and take a look at who we're making legal contracts with, and the message that that is sending to our community,” said Valenzuela.
WESD board members agreed the student-teacher partnership with ACU was inappropriate.
“For me, this is not a concern about Christianity. There are plenty of Christian denominations who are LGBTQ friendly, so I want to make it clear that, for me, my pause is not that they’re Christians so much as this particular institution’s strong anti-LGBTQ stance,” WESD president Nikkie Gomez-Whaley explained.
As a result, WESD voted 5-0 to end their relationship with the university. Districts vote to renew or end contracts with schools routinely, but within a week Fox News was crying “war on Christianity” and the floodgates had opened.
Hate Groups and a J6 Legislator Rally Behind ACU
Nearly every outlet singled out Valenzuela — for her comments to every aspect of her identity and appearance. Responses were violent, hateful, and insulting.
Charlie Kirk tweeted the Fox News clip of the February 23 board meeting to his 2+ million followers: “Arizona school board member Tamillia Valenzuela, while wearing cat ears, says her district should reject hiring teachers with Christian values. Valenzuela describes herself as a ‘bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina.”
Soon, Kirk’s non-profit Turning Point USA was also fixating on Valenzuela. Turning Point’s Instagram shared her image, asking their followers to “caption” (mock) a photo of Valenzuela.
WESD was also added to Kirk’s “School Board Watchlist,” an offshoot of his McCarthy-esque Professor Watchlist, Dean Watchlist, and Education Watchlist. Only last month, Kirk and his “Professor Watchlist” similarly targeted dozens of ASU Barrett Honors faculty members for speaking out against a Kirk event being hosted and sponsored by the school.
Multiple outlets falsely reported that Valenzuela and WESD severed ties with ACU for simply being Christian. WESD repeatedly clarified the reason for their decision, but the narrative was set.
Fake elector, Brady Listed, insurrectionist legislator Anthony Kern called for Valenzuela to resign for failing to re-contract with the religious university. Superintendent Tom Horne also decried WESD and attacked Valenzuela’s identity.
“The person who raised this on the school board describes herself as a ‘neurodivergent queer.’ And when she says that she expects you to be tolerant of her,” Horne told Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire. “As the governor of Arkansas said; there’s a battle between normal and the crazy,” Horne continued.
ACU president Munsil promised to take legal action against the district. On March 9, Scottsdale-based legal mega-giant and anti-LGBTQ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom took up the case.
The legal powerhouse has massive influence in Arizona and nationwide, constantly working to eliminate reproductive access. The Christian nationalist legal group also functions to make LGBTQ discrimination synonymous with religious freedom. Their presence is everywhere — from local religious vanity plates to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill to the recent legal case in Texas challenging the legality of mifepristone (the abortion pill). Even AZ Free News, one of the first local sites to draw attention to WESD’s decision to end ties with ACU, has ties to the Scottsdale hate group. For years, AZ Free News’ managing editor Eric Porteous served as Alliance Defending Freedom’s director of digital marketing, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Dual Demonstrations at WESD
Only hours after the Alliance Defending Freedom-backed lawsuit was announced, dozens of community members began lining up outside Washington Elementary School District for the first public meeting since the divorce with ACU.
As the sun began to set on March 9, over 100 protesters gathered in the vicinity of the board meeting. Sen. Anthony Kern set up a podium on the lawn of an American-flag draped home directly across the street. Religious music blasted in between the outdoor speeches and prayer. In the school’s parking lot, rally goers sported cat ears in support of Valenzuela and blasted pop music to drown out the hateful comments being hurled at them.
![Three people holding signs, a crowd can be seen behind them with several wearing cat ears.
One sign is rainbow colored, reading “equality for LGBTQ+ students”
Another reads “We [HEART] our WESD Board members (Just like Jesus would)
Another, in the colors of the trans flag, reads “ 1.8 million queer youth seriously considered suicide in the past year. STOP KILLING KIDS.”](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_600,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fpbs.substack.com%2Fmedia%2FFq1P8Z3aUAAHCKr.jpg)
Two “ Boom Trucks” video vans ran by failed District 27 GOP candidate Brian Morris flashed messages in support of ACU and demanding Valenzuela resign. As the meeting began, the rotating images switched to a live feed of the board.
Anticipating large crowds, attendance restrictions were put in place. Seating was limited to 80 and gates remained locked and guarded. Attendees were screened through a metal detector.
In her opening comments, WESD president Gomez-Whaley explained the increased security was due to threats sent to the board. Whaley said the “vast, vast majority” of messages to WESD were “vile” with some making explicit calls to violence.
Board member Kyle Clayton thanked those who wrote in “encouragement and constructive criticism,” but also condemned the “vile, homophobic, and explicit” attacks against him, Venezuela and the board. Clayton added that he reported multiple threats against him to the Phoenix Police and FBI.
Similarly, Valenzuela’s opening comments also drew attention to the vitriolic remarks against her. The crowd responded with a mixture of loud cheers and boos as Valenzuela told the audience she stood by the board’s decision.
The liveliness of the crowd would continue into the night, with board president Gomez-Whaley repeatedly gaveling warnings.
With too many requesting to comment, the board chose 32 of the 70 submitted names. At two minutes each, members of the pubic went back-and-forth expressing support or condemnation of the board’s decision to sever ties with ACU.
Some opposing WESD’s decision worked at schools in the district and talked about their good relationship with ACU student-teachers. Others were ACU alumni themselves. Many decrying WESD repeated the false claims of right-wing media, with several incorrectly stating Christians were being banned from teaching at the district entirely. Some, like WESD teacher Amy McFarlane, said they felt as if Christian educators, parents, students, and staff are no longer welcome in the district. A homeschool parent called on the board to “repent” and “believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Multiple called out Valenzuela personally, including Turning Point USA/Frontlines propagandist Kalen D’Almeida.
In a dramatic rant, D’Almeida said he was “representing Christians” against “a clear act of left-wing, anti-Christian religious discrimination.” D’Almeida‘s performance was cut off for time just as he was about to make his “demands” of the board. Outside, D’Almeida filmed for Frontlines attempting to capture any red meat for their base. The Ngo-wannabe was left unsuccessful, only managing to capture footage of people dancing… which Frontlines then later tried to characterize as sexual and sinister.
Also representing Turning Point USA inside included Ben Larrabee, who helps manage their School Board and Professor Watchlist. Audience members audibly groaned and facepalmed as Larrabee introduced himself.
Outside, Turning Point USA had a recruitment booth set up. The conservative non-profit was also advertising their upcoming Young Women’s Leadership Summit in Dallas, Texas.
Turning Point USA “ambassador” Lindsey Graham aka Patriot Barbie also showed up to the WESD rally, speaking at Kern’s podium. Since grifting her way from Oregon to Arizona, Graham has repeatedly targeted transgender school workers. Last month, she was issued a restraining order after obsessing over Paul Bixler, a trans woman on the Liberty Elementary school board. More recently, Graham has been targeting a transgender faculty member at Eastmark High School.
Despite the national and local outrage, community members and religious leaders spoke up in support of WESD and Valenzuela.
Janine Gelsinger, the executive director of the Universalist Unitarian Justice Arizona, expressed gratitude to the board for “putting action to your values” by voting to “keep the school free from discrimination against LGBTQ students and teachers.”
Pastor Chuck Farm of the First Christian Church in Phoenix turned to address the crowd directly, condemning those who give Jesus a “bad rap” and “demean and castigate people who disagree with us, and in the same breathe sing songs to Jesus and pray in His name.”
Reverend Sarah Oglesby-Dunegan, the senior minister of Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Chandler, also approved of WESD’s decision saying she “believes strongly in the separation of church and state."
Several in support of WESD pointed to their own faith, and condemned those weaponizing their God as an excuse to discriminate against the LGBTQ community.
Glendale school board member Hector Jaramillo noted this had “nothing to do with religion, it had everything to do with an institution that views the LGBTQ community as beastiality and incest,” a reference to ACU’s required pledge. Sen. Anna Hernandez recognized that other faith-based schools were still affiliated with WESD, saying “there are other religious institutions that don’t lead with hateful and divisive values.”
Valenzuela closed by again repeating the board’s intentions when ending their relationship with Arizona Christian University.
“Noone on this board has stated that Christian teachers will not be allowed within this district,” she said. “An agreement with an institution that allows bigotry within its core values is what was terminated.”
