Classroom Crucifix Causes Controversy In New Britain

NEW BRITAIN, CT — A city school teacher who displayed a crucifix near her desk has been put on administrative leave, with administrators asserting she has also incorporated personal religious beliefs in her instruction.

On Friday, the Texas-based First Liberty Institute announced the organization, along with law firm WilmerHale, has sent a letter to the Consolidated School District of New Britain demanding the immediate reinstatement of the teacher, Marisol Arroyo-Castro.

“Requiring a teacher to purge their workspace of anything religious is blatant discrimination that violates the First Amendment,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Keisha Russell, in the announcement.

According to the organization, Arroyo-Castro has had a crucifix by her desk for a decade, along with other personal items such as artwork, pictures of grandchildren and a church calendar. It claims school officials in December told her to remove the crucifix. A union representative suggested a compromise to move it to a place where students wouldn’t see it, according to the organization. Arroyo-Castro moved it under her desk initially, the announcement states.

“After many tears and prayer, she felt her sincere beliefs could not be violated so the next day, she returned the crucifix to its original location,” the organization said.

The teacher is now on administrative leave, and the district is considering terminating her, according to the organization. It asserts other teachers have been allowed to have personal items at their desks, such as a “mug referencing a Bible verse.”

New Britain Superintendent of Schools Tony Gasper asserted Friday that claims about the district’s actions have been “inaccurate and misleading.”

“To clarify, the matter involves the teacher’s decision to prominently display a religious symbol—a crucifix—on the front wall of her public-school classroom, which violates both federal and state laws requiring public schools to remain neutral in religious matters,” Gasper said, in a statement.

Gasper asserted that the crucifix’s placement in a “highly visible position” in the classroom infringes on the religious freedoms of the diverse student population. According to Gasper, the issue is broader than the display of the crucifix, as he claims the teacher incorporated her personal religious beliefs into her instruction.

According to Gasper, the situation led to concerns from students and staff of different faiths, with some feeling “uncomfortable.”

“We will not allow any teacher to use their position of authority to impose their personal religious beliefs or infringe on the civil rights of our students,” Gasper said. “Our commitment is to ensure a learning environment where all students and staff feel respected and valued, regardless of their faith or beliefs.”

Gasper indicated that the school district has worked to resolve the matter over the course of several weeks. The teacher is on paid administrative leave while discussions continue between the district, the teacher and the union, he said.

“Despite repeated efforts, the teacher declined multiple opportunities to address the concerns in a manner that respected both her faith and the diverse religious beliefs of students in the classroom,” Gasper said.