Connecticut Teacher Escorted Out of School Over Classroom Crucifix Heads to Federal Appeals Court

Carrying a boxed crucifix while being escorted out of her school, a long-serving Connecticut public school educator is now bringing her First Amendment battle before a federal appeals court.

Marisol Arroyo-Castro, who has taught for more than 30 years, is scheduled for oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York City on Dec. 7, Fox News reported. The dispute centers on whether her display of a religious symbol near her desk constitutes protected private speech or government expression.

The confrontation began in December 2024 at DiLoreto Elementary & Middle School in New Britain, Connecticut. Administrators ordered Arroyo-Castro to remove a crucifix she had displayed near her desk for roughly a decade.

While teaching middle-school social studies, Arroyo-Castro mentioned that the crucifix had served as a steady source of personal reassurance throughout her professional journey.

“I pretty much kept it to myself,” she said. “It keeps me calm and [it’s] just part of me.”

Disciplinary Actions and Legal Battle

When administrators pressed her to move the symbol, Arroyo-Castro said she broke down in tears. She received a formal reprimand for insubordination on Dec. 11, 2024. The following day, school officials removed the crucifix and suspended her for two days without pay.

Arroyo castro initially moved crucifix under her desk requested

School officials placed her on paid administrative leave on Dec. 16, 2024, and later reassigned her to a non-teaching role in March 2025. Arroyo-Castro filed a federal lawsuit in January 2025, alleging violations of her First Amendment rights.

A federal judge denied her request for a preliminary injunction in November 2025. The court found she was unlikely to prevail because the classroom display constituted government speech. Her attorneys subsequently appealed that decision to the Second Circuit.

“They suspended me,” Arroyo-Castro told Fox News. “Then they told me that they were going to pay me after that, but that I couldn’t go back into the school near the children, that they didn’t want me around the students, that I’m not supposed to talk to the students or interact with them or any of the staff in the school. Things like that, like I was a pariah or something.”

Arguments Before the Second Circuit

Becky Rees Dummermuth, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said attorneys will argue that Arroyo-Castro’s display was protected under the First Amendment’s Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses.

“So we’ve appealed to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and in the next couple of weeks, on Dec. 7, we’ll have an oral argument there in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, and we’ll argue before the court that Marisol’s speech was private speech,” Dummermuth told Fox News. “And the Supreme Court said in its Kennedy decision a few years ago, made really clear that a teacher’s private religious expression is allowable even if students are able to see it.” Fox News Digital

The legal team points to the Supreme Court’s Kennedy decision, which upheld the right of football coach Joe Kennedy to pray publicly without fear of retribution. Maintaining that public schools must treat all faculty members impartially, Dummermuth contended that religious expression should not face targeted bans if other instructors are allowed to keep personal effects by their workstations.

School District Position

The Consolidated School District of New Britain maintains that the dispute involves issues beyond a simple religious symbol. A spokesperson for the district issued a statement to Fox News addressing the matter.

Connecticut teacher of 33 years says she was escorted out of school over classroom crucifix — Fox News Digital and Fox News

“The Consolidated School District of New Britain has consistently maintained that this matter extends beyond the presence of a religious symbol in a classroom,” the spokesperson said. “As outlined in the attached independent, third-party investigative report, the district’s concerns involved a broader pattern of statements and actions that raised serious concerns about the treatment of students of differing religious backgrounds.”

The district said that it respects the religious beliefs and individual rights of all students and staff while maintaining a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure an inclusive environment. Officials noted they offered multiple options to allow Arroyo-Castro to practice her faith without encroaching on student religious freedoms, but she declined them.

An independent third-party report obtained by Fox News included interviews with four teachers, the school’s principal, assistant principal, and Castro herself. The document detailed student claims that Castro referenced God, Jesus, and religion in an inappropriate manner, while noting Castro’s denial that she made such references during class time. Interviews also included teacher criticisms regarding classroom management and student treatment.

First Liberty responded by stating that school officials initially cited only an Establishment Clause concern when removing Arroyo-Castro from the classroom, which they argue cannot survive the Supreme Court’s Kennedy precedent.

Oral arguments are scheduled for Dec. 7 in New York City.