Jeanne Casteen
Arizona Daily Independent | ADI Staff Reporter | October 8, 2023
Her website is down and her X.com account is now locked, but that hasn’t kept Arizona Democrat influencer Jeanne Casteen from shaking up the internet with her latest diatribe. Casteen, a two-time failed political candidate caught national attention this week with a vulgar rant that went viral when it was shared on X.com by the popular LibsofTikTok account.
Casteen, who serves as the Executive Director of the radical Secular Arizona organization, “viciously” mocked parents and school board members “who don’t want boys in the girls’ bathroom at schools in the Peoria Unified School District.
WARNING! The Video Clip Below Includes Profane Language
In her attack on Christians and the concerned parents who speak out against the district’s shared bathroom policy, Casteen claimed members of her organization have been victims of vandalism without offering any evidence. Casteen also claimed that Christ was a socialist without offering any evidence.
“These same people who come up to the damn lectern every single week to talk about ‘oh I am so concerned about the girls in this district.’ They don’t give a shit y’all. They don’t give a flying fuck about any student in that district. All they care about is their political agenda. And now, their little minions, their little followers, are targeting members of our most vulnerable communities of our most marginalized communities. They are vandalizing somebody’s vehicle, they are slashing the tires of somebody’s vehicle and in the same breath out of the other side of their mouth, they’re gonna say they’re good Christians. Bullshit. There’s nothing Christian about these people. And as a matter of fact, if Christ were to come back today, they’d fucking kill Him. Let’s be honest about that shit. A long haired fucking socialist hippie who wants to feed the poor. They’d fucking kill Him, okay. Fuck these people. Fuck their bullshit. Fuck them,” said Casteen in a threatening tone.
Casteen is also behind the attacks on Peoria Unified School District board member Heather Rooks, a devout Christian who begins her public comments frequently with a small line of scripture.
Last February, Casteen’s group reportedly filed a complaint with the Board that Rooks’ recitation of the Bible was “unconstitutional proselytizing.” This despite the fact that Rooks has never asked or prompted anyone else to acknowledge the scriptures. After reciting the scripture briefly, Rooks immediately moved on to the business of the Board.
Rooks was “compelled to stop” reading from scripture after the Board sent her a letter stating that reciting the verses violated the Establishment Clause, which “prohibits the government from establishing a religion.”
In late September, the First Liberty Institute on behalf of Rooks, filed a lawsuit in federal court against the district.
Rooks began her term as an elected member of the Peoria School Board member in January 2023. During each Peoria School Board meeting, the agenda includes a brief “Board comments” period where individual board members may offer remarks of their own choosing.
Since the beginning of her public service on the board, Rooks has opened her comments by quoting a short scripture from the Bible. The Peoria School Board subsequently received letters from anti-religious organizations, like the Freedom from Religion Foundation, demanding it stop Rooks from reading scripture. In August, the school board chairman instructed Ms. Rooks to stop quoting scripture during meeting time specifically set aside for board members to comment on any topic they choose.
According to the complaint, “Rooks’ recitation of a Bible passage, without comment, elaboration, or proselytization, during her Board comments doesn’t violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Establishment Clause provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Rooks’ practice accords with over 200 years of this Nation’s historical practices and understandings. See Marsh v. Chambers, 463 U.S. 783, 786 (1983) (“The opening of sessions of legislative and other deliberative public bodies with prayer is deeply embedded in the history and tradition of this country.”). Public officials from Presidents Washington and Lincoln up through President Biden routinely recited scriptures while performing their official duties.”
Casteen claims to have “over 11 years of experience teaching in Maricopa County’s public schools.”
In 2020, Casteen ran for Maricopa County School Superintendent, and lost, and later ran unsuccessfully for the State Legislature.
She did, however, win the Arizona School Board Association’s All-Arizona School Board Member Award.