New Mexico Teacher and School District Reach Settlement Over Religious Discrimination Claim

A former American history teacher in New Mexico, Jarrell Botello, has reached a settlement with the Aztec Municipal School District following his termination last year. Botello, who has since retired, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging religious discrimination after he was fired for his classroom instruction methods.

The dispute originated from a parent's complaint regarding Botello’s presentation of the immigration debate and a video featuring conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, which discussed the Christian influence on the American Founding Fathers. While the school board voted 3-2 to uphold his dismissal in July 2025 amid accusations of racism and inappropriate religious instruction, Botello maintained that his curriculum was district-approved and that similar materials had been used by other staff members without consequence.

Liberty Counsel, the legal organization representing Botello, announced the settlement on Monday. Both the legal group and the school district have declined to disclose the specific terms of the agreement. Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, stated that the EEOC recognized elements of discrimination in the case, though the district has not provided a public comment on the matter.