Christian Ethics Professor Sues University Over Alleged Religious Discrimination
Daniel Grossenbach, a former adjunct professor at the University of Arizona, has filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging that he was fired due to his faith and activism. The case claims that the university discriminated against Grossenbach based on his religious beliefs and his advocacy for parental rights, which he believes led to his termination.
Grossenbach, who taught ethics from 2020 to 2023, claims he was pressured to leave his position after receiving anonymous complaints about his involvement with a parental rights group, SaveCFSD, which opposed certain gender policies in a local school district. The lawsuit alleges that these complaints led to his termination, although the university claimed the position was eliminated due to funding for new full-time roles.
The lawsuit further states that Grossenbach’s advocacy for parental rights in the Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) led to the creation of SaveCFSD in 2023. The group criticized CFSD’s policies, including the distribution of gender identity surveys to students and the retention of lists of students requesting preferred names and pronouns without parental notification.
According to the lawsuit, Grossenbach was not informed of the anonymous complaints before his termination, and the university withheld documents for 239 days before releasing heavily redacted records. The lawsuit argues that the university’s actions violated the First Amendment, as they allegedly fired Grossenbach for his religious views and public comments.
Liberty Counsel attorney Daniel Schmid, who represents Grossenbach, emphasized that the case is about protecting constitutional rights. He stated that professors should not be fired for expressing religious views or speaking on controversial issues in front of government bodies. The case is significant in the ongoing debate over transgender policies in schools, particularly as the Trump administration has threatened to pull federal funding from school districts implementing such policies.