Former Weld RE-5J principal files federal lawsuit alleging he was fired for his faith
A former Weld RE-5J principal claims he was fired from his job last year after a faith-based speech to a group of student athletes before school started.
Dr. Brad Littlefield was the principal at Roosevelt High School from May 2019 through June 1st, 2021. He sponsors the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), served as a deacon for his church, taught young married couples, and has been a Sunday school director.
On February 25th, 2021 before school, Dr. Littlefield gave a motivational speech to a group of FCA group members. He states in the lawsuit that he was not giving the speech during school hours, he was not speaking in his capacity as the school's principal, and he did not use any school resources to prepare for the speech.
Later that day, former Weld RE-5J Superintendent Leslie Arnold learned about the speech from another administration member at the school.
Two days later, the suit says Superintendent Arnold alerted Dr. Littlefield to her concerns in the form of an amended performance evaluation. He claims in the suit that he had not ever received notice of any concerns in his performance as principal.
On March 1st, the lawsuit claims Dr. Littlefield attended a meeting with Superintendent Arnold and Assistant Superintendent of Human Relations Cara Anderson. In that meeting, Dr. Littlefield says he was accused of being homophobic and struggling with Superintendent Arnold because she is female. Dr. Littlefield claims both are untrue.
He then filed a complaint against both the next day, followed by a complaint filed against him by the two district staff members four days later alleging inappropriate response to race issues, derogatory comments against LGBTQ individuals, engaging in gender inequities, and a lack of response on bully issues, among others.
Littlefield says none of those issues had ever been brought to his attention before the complaint. Arnold then took over decisions and duties previously assigned to him.
The suit claims that an April 19th, 2021 finding sustained the complaints made by Arnold and Anderson while none of the complaints filed against the administration staff were found.
A petition began circulating online titled "Stand with Dr. Littlefield," and as of May 6th, 2021, the suit says 1,167 people signed the petition. The next day. Arnold sent an email to the Board of Education demanding Littlefield be fired.
A week later, the suit says the Board terminated Arnold as superintendent but did not publicly provide a reason for the termination.
At a meeting on June 1st, 2021, Anderson allegedly made the determination that Littlefield had violated directives laid out in a warning and that his contract with the district would not be renewed.
Anderson was terminated that following December.
