A special education aide who was fired after bringing her Trump-themed backpack and water bottle to work has resolved her federal lawsuit against a Los Angeles-area school district in what her attorneys described as a “decisive settlement victory.”
Alyssa Esquivel, a former sign-language interpreter at Del Mar High School, agreed to settle her First Amendment complaint against the San Gabriel Unified School District by accepting monetary damages, attorneys’ fees and the clearing of her termination records.
Ms. Esquivel will not be rehired, but her attorneys at Advocates for Faith & Freedom said Tuesday that she has “moved on to a better position” and the resolution represents “a full vindication of her name.”
“This is more than a legal win, it’s a cultural stand,” Julianne Fleischer, senior counsel for the legal group, said in a statement. “Public schools cannot bully employees into silence because they dare to express their faith or conservative values. Alyssa’s victory affirms that faith and free speech still have a place in the public square.”
Advocates for Faith & Freedom did not disclose the amount of the financial settlement. A joint stipulation to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be resubmitted, was filed Oct. 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Ms. Esquivel sued last year after she was escorted from campus, placed on administrative leave and ultimately dismissed in a dispute over whether her Trump-themed items violated district policy.
Shortly after she was hired in October 2022, Ms. Esquivel met with pushback from administrators and staff for reading religious books during her break; using a water bottle decorated with stickers of presidents, including President Trump; and carrying a red, white and blue Trump souvenir backpack.
In June 2023, a classroom aide moved the water bottle out of Ms. Esquivel’s reach, saying she “didn’t want Trump looking at [her].” Another coworker told her to stop bringing in “that Trump stuff,” according to the lawsuit.
The next day, Ms. Esquivel arrived to find that one of the aides was “throwing files around” and had flipped over a desk used by staff for their water bottles and other belongings.
“She yelled that Ms. Esquivel was ‘not going to put it [the water bottle] on my desk and taunt me with him [Mr. Trump],’” the complaint said.
As tensions rose, Ms. Esquivel filed a complaint with the district. But in July, Assistant Superintendent Ross Perry told her to stop bringing her backpack and water bottle to school, citing state education code barring the use of public funds “for the purpose of urging the support or defeat of any ballot measure or candidate.”
The lawsuit argued that neither of the items “contained any messages that urged the support or defeat of any candidate.”
Ms. Esquival used a patch to cover the last two letters of Mr. Trump’s name so that her backpack only showed “TRU.” But when she arrived at school with the water bottle and backpack on July 12, 2023, she was banned from campus and placed on administrative leave.
“Defendant Perry had the police escort Ms. Esquivel off the premises, humiliating her in front of her colleagues and pupils,” the complaint said.
In February 2024, her attorney sent a letter to the district demanding her immediate reinstatement. School officials responded five days later with a Notice of Proposed Intent to Suspend and Recommend Dismissal.
The notice accused her of inefficiency, insubordination, discourteous treatment of colleagues, improper political activity, violation of district policy and failure to exercise good behavior. The school board fired her in September 2024.
The Washington Times has reached out to the district for comment.
Ms. Esquivel said Tuesday that she hopes the outcome of her legal fight serves as an inspiration to those facing religious or political discrimination.
“First and foremost, I give all honor and glory to God. I am grateful to Advocates for Faith & Freedom for being a voice for justice,” she said in a statement. “I stood firm because my faith and convictions are worth more than a paycheck, and I hope my case inspires others facing similar violations of their rights to take a bold stand.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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