Vallejo school district ousts contractor who said he’d make students ‘champions for Christ’

SOURCE_URL::https://www.vallejosun.com/vallejo-school-district-ousts-contractor-who-said-hed-make-students-champions-for-christ/||SOURCE_NAME::The Vallejo Sun ((“School Board” OR “School Board Member” OR “Board of Education” OR “Board of Education Member” OR “Community College Trustee” OR “College Board Trustee” OR “Water District Board” OR “Fire District Co)

The Vallejo City Unified School District abruptly terminated its contract with an organization run by Eryck “Boomer” Bennett after becoming aware of a video where he shared intentions to proselytize to students and made disparaging remarks about the Vallejo community.

District officials said in a press release that the contracts with Bennett’s organization JF University/Luv Our Youth totaled over $600,000 in state grant funds. Two contracts from August show the organization was tasked with implementing anti-bullying assemblies and workshops and supporting its after-school programs in ten schools this year, which is over half of the district’s campuses. District spokesperson Celina Baguiao said that Bennett’s organization started working for Vallejo schools in Autumn 2024.

But two videos, both recorded in June, show Bennett preaching to a church in San Jose and explaining how he uses his access to schools in order to push Christian teachings onto students.

“Our slogan is that we turn students into champions,” Bennett said. “What the school district don’t know is we turn students into champions for Christ. That’s the end goal, is to turn every student into a champion for Christ.”

JF University stands for JesusFollowr University, but that unabbreviated name does not appear on contracts.

In the press release, district officials said Bennett “misrepresented his purpose while working at district schools.” Baguiao said one of the videos was shared with the governing board, then was forwarded to the superintendent’s office, which triggered an internal investigation. She said that the district ’s currently reviewing its policy for processing third party vendors.

“This decision reflects our commitment to ensuring that all individuals and organizations serving our students model respect, professionalism, and alignment with our district’s values and policies,” Baguiao said. “We will continue to review our partner vetting and monitoring processes to ensure the highest standards moving forward.”

Bennett did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Bennett is a former Los Angeles gang member who served roughly 12 years in prison starting in 2004. He has spoken about how he found Christianity while incarcerated and was moved to spread the word.

Bennett has advocated at Pro-Life rallies and praised President Donald Trump.

🧠 The move:
The Vallejo City Unified School District terminated its contract with a controversial contractor after discovering his intentions to promote religious teachings in schools.

Why this fits Institutional Decay:
This situation highlights a failure in the oversight and governance of educational institutions, raising concerns about accountability and the appropriateness of third-party contractors in public schools.

👥 Who this hits:
This decision directly impacts students in the Vallejo school district, ensuring that they are not subjected to religious proselytizing in their educational environment.

👀 What to watch next:

• The district’s review of its policy for processing third-party vendors.
• Potential backlash from the community regarding the termination of the contract.
• Further investigations into other contractors working with the district.

📊 Source credibility: The Vallejo Sun is known for its reliable local reporting and community-focused journalism.

📅 Published: March 31, 2026 5:53 PM

🔗 Source: The Vallejo Sun — Read more