Marine Veteran Suing Oregon School District Over Curriculum Reimbursement

A Marine veteran and mother of five is taking legal action against an Oregon school district. She claims the district denied reimbursement for her children’s academic curriculum solely because it reflected a Christian worldview.

Tessa Bulzan, who resigned from a high-paying job after a conflict with her children’s school’s beliefs, joined Hillsboro School District’s homeschool partnership program in July 2025. Bulzan asserts the district initially approved her Christian curriculum before later refusing reimbursement.

“There was an incident where a teacher said something against our moral and biblical beliefs, and it was so convicting. My husband and I decided that I would quit my six-figure job and become a stay-at-home mother, starting homeschooling our children,” Bulzan explained to Fox News Digital.

Bulzan described joining Hillsboro’s program as a significant help, given the high costs of homeschooling. Her husband was earning under $50,000 annually at the time. The family felt reassured when the Christian curriculum they were already using, such as Abeka and Classical Conversations, met the district’s academic standards.

“Then in January, when we went to seek reimbursement for that curriculum, we were denied solely due to its author’s biblical world beliefs,” Bulzan explained.

Bulzan was taken aback by the denial, as the family had planned to use the reimbursement for extracurricular activities and additional curriculum needs. She inquired about the district’s rejection of materials like a cursive book used for her dyslexic daughter. An administrator acknowledged the lack of a comparable alternative at the same academic level but cited the author’s biblical perspective and scriptural references as reasons for the funding denial.

“One-hundred percent, it was discrimination,” Bulzan stated. “My curriculum not only met but exceeded the standards of the school board and the state of Oregon.”

Bulzan felt targeted after her investigation showed other books with secular themes, which she deemed inappropriate, were approved for reimbursement. “They allow other forms of worship for reimbursement but won’t allow my grammar book because it references God,” she commented.

In September, attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit against the district in federal court.

“This is religious discrimination, and it’s discrimination that the Supreme Court and the Constitution do not allow,” ADF attorney Kate Anderson said to Fox News Digital. “Religious families need to be treated equally in benefit programs.”

While the Hillsboro School District declined to comment on the ongoing litigation, the lawsuit highlights ongoing debates over religious freedom and educational funding.