Judge Puts Freedom Of Press On Trial In Nashville Trans Shooter ‘Manifesto’ Battle

Editor Michael Patrick Leahy says he will go to jail before revealing the source of the documents, and the judge just might oblige.

'Complete vindication': Woke school district learns a hard lesson about 'discriminating' against a Christian university



Arizona's largest elementary school district has shifted course, voting to allow students from a Christian university to teach there once again, Alliance Defending Freedom announced Thursday.

"This is a complete vindication of the rights of our students to be able to participate as student-teachers in a public school district without fear of religious discrimination" said Arizona Christian University President Len Munsil in a statement.

The Washington Elementary School District voted 5-0 March 9 to end an arrangement in which ACU students completed their student teaching and practical coursework at WESD, as TheBlaze reported. Board members at the time cited ACU's stance on lifelong, monogamous, heterosexual marriage as presenting an "unsafe" condition.

After Alliance Defending Freedom sued WESD, the board apparently saw the error of its ways, with four of its five members voting at Wednesday night's meeting to enter a new agreement with ACU. The district was slapped with $25,000 in attorneys' fees as part of the settlement.

Wearing cat ears to a February 23 WESD meeting, board member Tamillia Valenzuela expressed her opposition to ACU students helping mitigate the national teaching shortage and recruitment difficulties.

"At some point, we need get real with ourselves and take a look at who we're making legal contracts with and the message that is sending to our community. Because that makes me feel like I could not be safe in this school district," Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela was referring to ACU's promotion of "Biblically-informed values that are foundational to Western civilization, including the centrality of family, traditional sexual morality, and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman."

Another WESD board member, Kyle Clayton, alleged at the February meeting that "proselytizing is embedded into how they teach."

"There are plenty of Christian denominations that are LGBTQ friendly," Governing Board President Nikkie Gomez-Whaley said prior to ADF's lawsuit, adding that for her, "this is not a concern about Christianity."

One lawsuit and two months later, WESD is singing a markely different tune.

"We obtained everything we wanted in this new agreement, without any sacrifice or compromise to our beliefs and our university’s religious purpose. We look forward to a continued beneficial partnership that serves ACU student-teachers and the students, faculty, and staff of the WESD," ACU President Munsil also said.

"By discriminating against Arizona Christian University and denying it an opportunity to participate in the student-teacher program because of its religious status and beliefs, the school district was in blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution, not to mention state law that protects ACU’s religious freedom," said ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman.

WESD released a statement to KNXV-TV on having "mutually agreed to resolve their dispute."

"We are pleased that the case against the WESD has been dismissed. We look forward to continuing the work of creating welcoming and accessible education spaces that meet the needs of our students, staff, and community," Governing Board President Nikkie Gomez-Whaley said in the statement.

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Nashville Christian school shooter's writings 'now being reviewed for public release'



The writings of the person who perpetrated a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, last month are under review for public release, Metro Nashville Police Department's public information office noted, according to fox17.com

"The investigation has advanced to the point that writings from the Covenant shooter are now being reviewed for public release. That process is underway and will take a little time," the MNPD public information office noted, according to the outlet.

A 28-year-old shooter carried out the March 27 attack at the Covenant School, killing three children and three adults. The perpetrator was fatally shot by law enforcement.

"The Covenant shooting was a tragedy beyond comprehension, & Tennesseans need clarity," Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) tweeted. "We've been in touch with the Nashville Police Department, & today, Chief Drake assured me that documents & information regarding the shooter will be released to the public very soon."

\u201cThe Covenant shooting was a tragedy beyond comprehension, & Tennesseans need clarity. \n\nWe\u2019ve been in touch with the Nashville Police Department, & today, Chief Drake assured me that documents & information regarding the shooter will be released to the public very soon.\u201d
— Gov. Bill Lee (@Gov. Bill Lee) 1682644542

MNPD reported in early April that the investigation indicated the shooter had "fired a total of 152 rounds (126 5.56 rifle rounds and 26 nine millimeter rounds) from the time she shot her way into the school until she was killed by police."

MNPD also noted in that early April press release that the shooter had "documented, in journals, her planning over a period of months to commit mass murder at The Covenant School" but that the individual's motive had not been determined.

"The writings remain under careful review by the MNPD and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia," the release stated, noting that the motive was "under investigation by the Homicide Unit in consultation with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit" and that it was known that the perpetrator had "considered the actions of other mass murderers."

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Nashville shooter planned for 'months to commit mass murder at the Covenant School': Police



The motive of the 28-year-old attacker who opened fire at a Christian school last week on March 27 has still not been established, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

The shooting perpetrated at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, left six dead, including three children and three adults.

An April 3 police press release noted that the shooter had planned the attack for months.

"In the collective writings by [the shooter] found in her vehicle in the school parking lot, and others later found in the bedroom of her home, she documented, in journals, her planning over a period of months to commit mass murder at The Covenant School," the press release noted.

While the investigation update said that it seems the perpetrator "acted totally alone," the press release also stated that, "It is known that [the killer] considered the actions of other mass murderers." The individual's motive "has not been established and remains under investigation by the Homicide Unit in consultation with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit," the press release noted.

The perpetrator, who unloaded a whopping 152 rounds during the deadly attack, was fatally shot by law enforcement.

The shooter "fired a total of 152 rounds (126 5.56 rifle rounds and 26 nine millimeter rounds) from the time she shot her way into the school until she was killed by police," the release notes. "Officer Rex Engelbert discharged a total of four 5.56 rounds from his rifle; Officer Michael Collazo discharged a total of four rounds from his department-issued nine millimeter pistol."

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Christian school administrator defends institution's policies of referring to students by biological gender, denying LGBTQ students: 'We're not going to be hateful, but we're not going to back down'



A private Christian school in Florida reminded parents that students will only be referred to by their biological gender. The school also informed parents that students participating in LGBTQ lifestyles would be asked to leave. The school's administrator has fired back at critics who have questioned the policies of the institution.

On June 6, the Grace Christian School in Valrico – approximately 20 miles east of Tampa – sent out an email to parents with the subject line: "Important School Policy Point of Emphasis. ... Please Read."

"We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal dignity," the email stated, according to NBC News.

"Therefore, one's biological sex must be affirmed and no attempts should be made to physically change, alter, or disagree with one's biological gender — including, but not limited to, elective sex reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary gender fluid acts of conduct (Genesis 1:26-28)," read the email from Grace Christian School Administrator Barry McKeen.

The school's policy noted, "Students in school will be referred to by the gender on their birth certificate and be referenced in name in the same fashion."

"We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgender identity/lifestyle, self-identification, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful in the sight of God and the church (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; I Corinthians 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:2-7)," the email added.

"Students who are found participating in these lifestyles will be asked to leave the school immediately," the email continued.

McKeen highlighted that the school does not permit unmarried heterosexual students to be overtly sexual.

"God condemns any sexual activity outside of marriage," McKeen told Fox News. "I tell people, if a kid came in the doors, exclaiming how he was having sex with his girlfriend, that student would be expelled as well."

McKeen pointed out that the policy of not allowing LGBTQ students to attend has been in place since the school began 49 years ago. McKeen added that the email was sent out so parents could "agree to all policies and procedures before your student may start school in August."

McKeen rejected requests for comment from NBC News.

McKeen defended his school's policies following some backlash from the NBC News article.

McKeen – who has served the Grace Community Church for more than 20 years – released a video addressing the alleged controversy.

"I chose not to talk to the reporter, because usually based on the call sign, based on the channel, you can usually tell what they're trying to say and what they're going to be trying to prove and I think it was clear from the get-go that this person is, is not for us, but against us," McKeen said of the NBC News reporter.

The senior pastor said the school's policy against transgender and homosexual students is "rooted in the scriptures."

"God has spoken on those issues explicitly, aggressively," he said.

McKeen noted that "almost every Christian School has such a policy."

"I'm not going to backpedal. And it is our policy now. It will be our policy going forward," the pastor remarked. "God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change."

"We are not a hateful group of people," he stressed. "We don't hate students who are of a particular persuasion."

"The biggest issue that happens in this culture is because you believe something and you stand for something – that you're automatically hateful," McKeen continued. "We are not hateful. Probably that's the thing in the article that hurt the most."

"This is a private Christian school where parents choose to send their kids to the school," he said. "And it's not for everybody."

"The Bible says God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We're not going to change because God's not going to change. And we're not going to be hateful, but we're not going to back down from this policy. This has been our policy that this is our policy, and this will be our policy," McKeen concluded.