LDS Church cancels seminary plans with VUSD

VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has canceled an agreement with Vail Unified School District to build a LDS seminary on Cienega High School’s campus, the district said.

VUSD says they were told about the decision Tuesday night after meeting with the church, widely known as the Mormon church, earlier this week, receiving “formal written notice from the Church indicating their decision to exercise their contractual right to terminate the agreement.”

The school board unanimously approved building the seminary in March. The 1,300-square-foot classroom, set to be completed by January 2026, would have been used for religious courses for students who are church members. The church would have been allowed to use the building from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays for ten years, according to the contract.

VUSD says the church would have donated the funds to build the room, and it would have come at no cost to taxpayers.

The agreement drew criticism over the separation of church and state from some students and parents. The nonprofit Secular AZ, which works to protect the constitutional separation of church and state, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the school district.

Vail Superintendent John Carruth defended the agreement, saying the district followed the law, and that the fully-funded, district-owned community room would benefit the broader community.