The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will reportedly no longer require educators to agree to “affirm and respect” the “identities” of LGBTQ students, following a legal challenge.
Middle and high school teachers in the district must complete one hour of online cultural competency training every year to support LGBTQ students, according to the California Department of Education. The Liberty Counsel, a non-profit legal organization, revealed that the training mandated teachers to check a box acknowledging the following prompt: “I am aware that LAUSD policy requires me to affirm and respect the identities of all students, including those who identify as LGBTQ+.”
On Friday, Liberty Counsel announced it had sent a demand letter to LAUSD on June 8, arguing the prompt violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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“Federal law protects employees from being compelled to choose between their employment and adherence to their faith,” the group wrote to the district.
LAUSD reportedly modified the questionnaire just two days after receiving the letter, according to Liberty Counsel. The updated prompt removes the “affirm and respect” language, instead asking teachers to simply confirm they are “aware” of the district’s nondiscrimination policies regarding LGBTQ students.
In statements released through Liberty Counsel, two LAUSD sixth-grade teachers expressed relief over the change.
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“When LAUSD implemented a mandatory LGBTQ training, I feared losing my job, yet I knew I had to stand firm in my faith and conviction,” one teacher said. “What a victory for religious liberty! Thank you, Liberty Counsel, for courageously defending the rights of believers and helping ensure that people of faith can remain true to their convictions in the workplace.”
Liberty Counsel Chairman Mat Staver praised the district’s swift pivot.
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“The Los Angeles Unified School District did the right thing in changing its training certification language. Federal law is clear that teachers cannot be required to ‘affirm’ a student’s perceived gender identity or use inconsistent pronouns against their personal religious convictions. Title VII ensures that people cannot be forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood,” he said in a statement.
LAUSD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The online training stems from California’s “Safe and Supportive Schools Act,” originally introduced in 2019. Expansions to the bill passed in 2023 required school districts provide annual training to middle and high school educators to support LGBTQ students.
According to a California Department of Education press release, the state partnered with LGBTQ advocacy organizations, such as the Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign, to develop the online training course, known as PRISM.
