The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) facilitated a settlement agreement between Aztec Municipal School District and former American History teacher Jarrell Botello, whom the district fired in July 2025 for teaching accurate history and curriculum approved material on immigration and the religious beliefs of the Founders. Botello filed a charge of discrimination stating his firing was an example of “anti-Christian bias in the teaching profession” since he was a Christian teacher “who taught accurate American history.” Botello, as a Hispanic teacher, also noted school officials accused him of racism for “accurately describing the current political debate about immigration to his students.” 

“I was told that I was engaging in political speech and teaching religion,” stated Botello in the EEOC filing. “I informed the investigator that the concepts and words I used were covered in the approved curriculum for the last two years and that New Mexico required teaching both sides of the immigration debate. I was terminated on July 9, 2025. Non-Christian and Non-Hispanic teachers were not disciplined or terminated for using the same curriculum.”

Liberty Counsel assisted Botello in filing the complaint with the EEOC, which it accepted and urged the school district into a settlement. Botello, now retired, agreed with the school district to not disclose the details of the settlement.

Jarrell Botello

Botello’s EEOC filing stated that he “simply taught about America's structure and form of government” from the curriculum approved by the New Mexico Public Education Department, and as required by state social studies standards (NM-PED 8.102). Botello “taught both sides” of the immigration debate as required using terminology from both sides and provided students with the civics (history and government) questions asked on the American Citizenship Test as part of an ungraded assignment. Botello also showed an excerpt from a supplemental video of Charlie Kirk summarizing the Christian beliefs of the Founders and the foundations of American liberty.

A parent complained to the school district disagreeing about the early influences on American government and about teaching students on the current political debate over citizenship. Botello’s filing states that the parent accused him of teaching “religion, hate, and racism.” 

Within days of the parent’s complaint, Botello was placed on administrative leave for several months while a “biased and sham” investigation took place, reads the filing. During the investigation, the district’s Human Resources Department “lost” all the audio recorded student interview evidence that was supposedly against Botello. However, more than 90 students supported him and signed a petition to “Bring Back Botello.”

In July 2025, the Aztec School Board upheld Botello’s firing 3-2, with two board members vigorously disagreeing that the investigation proved any misconduct. However, in August 2026, the school board voted 4-0 to approve the EEOC-supported settlement.

In February 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order for “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias” in the federal government. The order directed 16 federal agencies, including the EEOC, to identify and rectify “any conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians.” 

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “Teachers of any faith who accurately teach about the current immigration debate or Christianity’s influences on our Founders within an approved history curriculum should not have to fear for their jobs. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recognized there were elements of discrimination in Jarrell Botello’s firing to recommend that the Aztec Municipal School District enter a settlement agreement. Discriminating against teachers can be a costly mistake and school districts need to do a better job in protecting good teachers.”