A woman who says she was wrongfully terminated from the City University of New York for converting to Christianity is suing the school, according to a religious discrimination lawsuit filed this week.
The woman alleges that the school fired her after she was denied religious accommodations for an aspect of her job that made her uncomfortable.
The Incident
Teona Pagan worked at CUNY’s Research Foundation as the Fellowships and Public Service Program Coordinator.
She alleges that she was denied a religious accommodation for her role that required her to recruit students for a fellowship based on the promotion of LBGT “rights and causes,” according to the complaint.
Pagan Converted to Christianity
In April of 2022, Pagan made the choice to change her faith and convert to Christianity, months after beginning her job in November 2021.
However, she soon found that her duties related to the fellowship were in direct conflict with her new but serious religious beliefs.
Pagan Spoke About the Incident
“After my hire, I was told that the committee was particularly drawn to me because of my youthful maturity and willingness to stand boldly for issues plaguing our generation,” Pagan told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“Ironically, when I decided to finally stand for the Truth, who is Jesus Christ, they chose to terminate my employment.” She was hired in the role after graduating from the Honors Program at CUNY’s Baruch campus.
The Fellowship Programs
There were nine programs that Pagan oversaw. However, less than 10% of her role was devoted to the LGBT-centered program, known as the Mixner Fellowship.
She assumed that a simple religious accommodation would be an “easy fix and compromise,” since she had coworkers and supervisors who worked on similar projects.
Other Instance of Faith Based Discrimination
Earlier this summer, a lifeguard in L.A. was let go from his senior position after refusing to work at beaches that flew the multicolored pride flag.
Although he was previously told that a religious accommodation could be made for him to work at other beaches, he soon found that his faith was not being taken seriously. As a result, he filed a discrimination suit against L.A. County.
The David Mixner Fellowship
According to the university’s website, the David Mixner Fellowship awarded students a $5,000 grant to help them participate in an eight-week internship related to “LGBTQI+ causes, rights and advocacy. “
The program allowed students in the community to meet and network with individuals and organizations that uphold the same values and beliefs.
Rejecting the Mixner Fellowship
In April of 2022, Pagan brought the issue to her direct supervisor and offered a written request to have “more of a stakehold in the other programs to compensate for my absence in Mixner.”
“I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and there are certain beliefs and behaviors that come with that,” she outlined in her April 27 request, explaining her participation with the Mixner program “would be a sin.”
Unfair Treatment By the School
Pagan says that she was quickly “interrogated” about her beliefs during a June 2022 meeting with her supervisor and the university’s human resources director.
Although her request would only change a small portion of her role, it was denied by the dean on June 9 for creating “an undue burden on the office.”
Disciplinary Action
The lawsuit alleges that Pagan was soon thereafter placed on administrative leave on June 17 and was told not to return as her contract would be expiring on June 22.
She feels as though this action was taken against her to punish her for her newfound beliefs in Christianity.
Official Complaint Filed
Pagan filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint. However, in May 2024, the commission opted not to pursue any further investigation.
She told the DCNF that she stands by her beliefs in not helping students receive scholarships that could enable them to “live in sin.”
Pagan Stands By Her Choices
Pagan still stands by her beliefs, although CUNY has declined to comment on any ongoing litigation.
“Little did I know that my life would radically change in such a brief period,” she said. “But I give God all the glory for this entire journey and situation because I know that it is all for the Kingdom, and so that somebody else might ask, what must I do to be saved? I even pray the prosperity and peace of God for those that I am filing suit against.”
