Vallejo City Unified School District has abruptly cut ties with a major community-partnership contractor after a video surfaced of the group’s leader knocking the city and describing plans to advance a religious mission inside local schools. JF University, which also operates as Luv Our Youth, had been running community schools and expanded learning programs on multiple Vallejo campuses. District officials said the contract was terminated effective immediately and that they are scrambling to keep student services going while they shift responsibilities in-house.
District severs contract after video
In a statement on its website, the Vallejo City Unified School District said it has terminated its Master Service Agreement with JF University/Luv Our Youth and that the contractor and its representatives “no longer have access to any VCUSD campuses, students, or staff.” The district said the decision followed an internal review of a video whose content it deemed out of line with the scope and expectations of the agreement. Officials added that they are working to keep services for students and families running without interruption while they reorganize program coverage.
Video's remarks and reaction
The video, recorded in June, includes what the district characterized as “disparaging” comments that it says are inappropriate in a school-sponsored setting. In the clip, the organization’s president declares that the group’s end goal is to turn every student into a champion for Christ, a line reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. The revelation triggered swift pushback from district leaders, who stressed that public school programs must stay neutral on matters of religion.
Where they worked and what they were paid
The district said JF University had been hired under two temporary, grant-funded agreements totaling more than $600,000 to support Community Schools and Expanded Learning programs. The organization had been operating at Hogan Middle School, Vallejo High School, Cooper Elementary and Steffan Manor Elementary, among other locations, according to Bay City News Service coverage posted on SFGATE. VCUSD noted that the approved scope of work was strictly limited to student support services, stakeholder engagement and program coordination.
Transition plan and staffing impacts
Vallejo City Unified School District said it plans to move the contractor’s duties to district employees, including new roles such as community schools coordinators. Leaders framed the shift as a way to open up positions for classified staff affected by recent layoffs. They explained that temporary contractors had been used to meet tight launch timelines for new programs while collective bargaining continues. Officials reiterated that religious teaching or attempts to convert students are not allowed in school-sponsored programs.
Vendor vetting under review
VCUSD has also launched a broad review of how it vets vendors and says it will tighten oversight of contractor activities to ensure compliance with district policies and state law, a step first detailed by the San Francisco Chronicle. The move has prompted parents to call for clearer screening standards for any outside groups that work on campus. District officials said they acted quickly in this case to safeguard students and maintain community trust.
Legal and policy implications
The district again emphasized that faith-based instruction or proselytizing is not permitted in school-sponsored programming and pointed to the separation of church and state as central to its response, language highlighted in Bay City News Service coverage posted on SFGATE. VCUSD said it will continue reviewing vendor-vetting procedures to head off future conflicts between contractor activities and district policy. School leaders added that the episode reflects a broader push by districts to more closely monitor outside providers that work directly with students.
Families with questions have been urged to check official district communications for updates on program changes and coverage. VCUSD said it intends to prioritize consistent services for students while the transition away from JF University is completed.
