A Peoria Unified School Board member who sued the district after it asked her to stop quoting the Bible at public meetings has lost her case.
A district spokesperson says swift resolution by a federal judge lets officials stay focused on providing students with high-quality education.
Heather Rooks, who is now the board president, and another board member quoted the Bible during time for making general comments at public meetings.
This drew pushback from groups that advocate for the First Amendment’s separation of church and state.
The district’s lawyer advised board members to not recite scripture.
Rooks sued the district, alleging her First Amendment rights on religion and free speech were being violated.
Now a federal judge has sided with the district, writing that Rooks was given legal advice warning of liability that could come from her actions.
Attorneys for Rooks did not comment.
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The Republican candidates for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction faced off in a primary election debate Thursday night. -
The president of Arizona’s largest teachers’ union says a recent audit of the state’s school voucher program reinforces what teachers have been saying for years: that the program is fraught with waste and abuse. -
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