Homeschooling Mom Challenges Oregon School Over Religious Curriculum Reimbursement

2 min read

Tessa Bulzan, a mother of five, is fighting the Hillsboro School District in Oregon after the district denied her request for reimbursement for homeschooling curriculum that includes Christian teachings. Bulzan, who left her corporate job to homeschool her children, relied on a district-funded program to help cover the costs of her children’s education. However, when she submitted her receipts for reimbursement at the end of the first semester, the district rejected her claim, citing the religious character of the curriculum.

Legal Battle Over Religious Freedom

Bulzan, who described her calling as raising her children in accordance with God’s word, emphasized the importance of her decision to homeschool. She said she had confirmed with the district that she could use any curriculum, including one with religious themes. However, the district’s refusal to reimburse her sparked a legal challenge, with her attorney, Kate Anderson of the Alliance Defending Freedom, arguing that the district’s exclusion of religious curriculum violated the First Amendment’s free exercise clause and the 14th Amendment’s protection of parental rights.

“When the district sets up this kind of program to benefit families by providing funding for homeschooling, it can’t exclude religious curriculum,” Anderson said. “It has to treat it on the same footing as secular curriculum.”

Discrepancies in Curriculum Funding

Bulzan highlighted the district’s inconsistency in its funding decisions, noting that while it refused to reimburse her for a Christian-based curriculum, it did fund materials with secular or even progressive themes. For example, the district reimbursed books like “Julián Is a Mermaid” and “We Are Water Protectors,” which contain themes that some may view as religious or spiritual.

“It is very interesting how they’re picking and choosing what is offered,” Bulzan said. “It’s just very confusing why they get to pick and choose the winners and losers of curriculum and who gets funded and who does not.”

Financial Strain on Family

The financial strain of not being reimbursed has impacted the family, with Bulzan struggling to afford additional curriculum for her children. Her eldest son, who is advancing quickly through his math books, is at risk of falling behind if the family cannot afford more materials. “It is very expensive, and if I don’t get the reimbursement that I need, then he gets slowed down,” Bulzan said.

Bulzan’s case is centered on the constitutional right of parents to direct their children’s education according to their beliefs. Anderson emphasized that the case is about ensuring equal access to educational funding for religious families, just as it is for secular families.

Source: Daily Wire

Written by

Connor Davis