The Washington Elementary School District, which serves students in the Phoenix and Glendale areas, had an ongoing contract with Arizona Christian University for five years, enabling their student teachers to be placed in its schools for field experience. The contract opened up opportunities for recruitment and hiring.

On Feb. 23, the board agreed on a motion to dissolve the partnership with the Christian university. They did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they have a bias against Christian beliefs.

During the meeting, school board member Tamillia Valenzuela blasted the university over its Christian beliefs and said she was “disheartened” to learn about the contract that had been ongoing for five years.

Valenzuela describes herself as “a bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina… who loves a good hot wing (but only with the right ranch) and things that sparkle.”