Biden-appointed Federal District Judge Sarah Russell upheld the suspension of school teacher Marisol Arroyo-Castro for having a crucifix at her desk, according to First Liberty Institute. The district court judge ruled that the speech was not private but rather pursuant to her official duties.
Arroyo-Castro has been a teacher with the school for 32 years, but the Consolidate School District of New Britain has refused her return to teaching and threatened to fire her. She is a Catholic who has put a crucifix by her desk for the last ten years, before abruptly being asked to remove in in December 2024.
Along with another law firm, First Liberty Institute represents Arroyo-Castro, and they believe that that the school’s actions infringe on the First Amendment as religious discrimination. First Liberty says that they will continue for their client’s rights to religious liberty.
Becky Dummermuth, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, says that Arroyo-Castro is now working as an administrator during her appeal.
"They put her on administrative leave, and now she's just working outside the classroom, so she's not allowed to be around the students. She's in an administrative role working on curriculum, and she has the crucifix by her desk there," explains Dummermuth.
Dummermuth says that an appeal to the district judge's ruling will now go to the Second Court of Appeals. She says the judge did not agree that this was a matter of private speech.
"The judge came out and said that, no, this is speech pursuant to her official duties. But we believe that it was private speech and that the judge just did not look at the correct free exercise precedent," says Dummermuth.
Arroyo-Castro has been on suspension since December of last year and the district is still considering firing her.
