A former ethics professor is suing the University of Arizona for effectively sacking him because of his opposition to the policies at his children’s school.
Devout Christian Dan Grossenbach is a 20-year federal criminal investigator and state-certified educator.
He claims the university violated his right to free speech and freedom of religion — and to publicly support parental rights.
The professor’s lawsuit says he lost his job because he spoke out at school board meetings, despite each time giving a disclaimer that he was speaking for himself.
PROFESSOR’S CHILDREN’S SCHOOL SOUGHT TO SECRETLY SOLICIT INFORMATION FROM PUPILS
His ordeal dates back to 2023 when the Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) in Tucson reportedly urged teachers to secretly solicit information from students and push radical gender ideologies onto them, without consulting parents.
Professor Grossenbach considered the policies a “gross intrusion” upon parental rights and felt compelled by his religious beliefs to form SaveCFSD, a nonprofit organisation focused on educating parents about school board policies and fundamental rights.
He spoke several times for just two to three minutes at school board meetings.
Each time, he included a disclaimer that he spoke for himself and not for his employer.
He expressed his concern “without hate, slander, or violence,” according to his lawyers from Liberty Counsel.
CULTURE OF SECRECY ABOUT INAPPROPRIATE PRACTICES AT SCHOOL
The lawsuit claims the school’s teachers were told to keep secret any information divulged to them.
“Some of its “secret surveys” went as far as asking minor children about their sexual preferences and desires,” it alleged.
As parents began to voice their concerns, an email surfaced from a middle school principal containing a list of gender-confused students asking teachers to use pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex and conceal it from parents, the lawsuit stated.
It added that school board members refused to discuss the issue with parents.
“ANTI-RELIGIOUS ZEALOTS PLOTTED TO SILENCE THE PROFESSORIAL DAD.”
According to the lawsuit, “anti-religious zealots turned digital critics” coordinated over social media to silence Professor Grossenbach and his supporters, by getting him fired from his job.
As a result, numerous anonymous complaints were filed against him with the University of Arizona, urging the university to discipline him for speaking out about his Christian beliefs and his parental rights.
In November 2023, the university informed the professor that it would not be renewing his part-time teaching contract for the following spring semester, citing it had received funding for a full-time faculty member.
The university never hired a full-time teacher, nor re-offered his ethics course.
The university had only weeks earlier divulged a funding crisis of almost a quarter-of -a-billion-dollars.
UNIVERSITY STALLS PROFESSOR’S REQUEST TO FIND REAL REASON FOR HIS CANCELLATION
A suspicious Professor Grossenbach then filed a freedom of information request.
“After a seven-month wait, I enlisted an attorney to compel the university to disclose the truth of what led to their decision.”
“The disclosure showed administrators were panicked by two anonymous letters from community members, complaining about statements I made at a public school board meeting.”
“The letters alleged that I criticised the LGBTQIA+ community and asked the university to punish me for violating the university’s values.”
WHAT THE PROFESSOR’S LAWSUIT SAYS
The lawsuit alleges that the university violated state law when it stalled the professor for 239 days in disclosing those public records.
It claims the university refused to renew his employment after discovering that he was an outspoken Christian.
“The University of Arizona’s actions have inflicted irreparable damage to Professor Grossenbach’s professional career and reputation, ended his academic pursuit of a doctorate degree, decreased his earning potential, and reduced his income,” wrote his lawyers from Liberty Counsel.
“Further, when Professor Grossenbach was terminated, he lost a potential textbook publishing deal, furthering his financial loss and reputational damage.”
WHAT THE LAWSUIT IS DEMANDING
The lawsuit is seeking a permanent injunction that declares the university’s discriminatory actions illegal and unconstitutional for violating Professor Grossenbach’s constitutional rights of free speech, religious exercise, equal protection, as well as his religious protections.
It is also requesting that the professor be reinstated to his position.
“Professors at public universities and colleges do not shed their constitutional rights to free speech and religious exercise when they work for a university,” said Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver.
“Professor Daniel Grossenbach engaged in constitutionally protected speech, religious expression, and religious exercise and was speaking on matters of public concern regarding his faith, morality, and the community.”
“The University of Arizona cannot fire a professor for his protected speech.”
“Viewpoint discrimination is unlawful and violates the First Amendment, and religious discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,” Mr. Staver declared.
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