Nashville charter school removes LGBT titles after teacher's religious objection case

KIPP Nashville, part of the Knowledge is Power Program, eliminated several books featuring LGBT content from its elementary school collections after a controversy involving a Christian teacher. Eric Rivera, who taught first grade at Antioch College Prep Elementary, was issued a final warning for refusing to read a book about same-sex parents, a decision the school later expunged from his record following a settlement with the First Liberty Institute.

The legal nonprofit hailed the subsequent book removal as a safeguard for parents’ constitutional rights and religious freedom in schools. KIPP announced it would permit teachers to request that another staff member read any material they find objectionable on religious grounds. The move reflects ongoing tensions between curriculum choices and individual religious convictions within public-charter education.