To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

Washington School Principal Says No to Interfaith Student-led Prayer Club, But Allowed a 'Pride' Club a Week Earlier

Talia Wise : Apr 11, 2024  CBN News

According to the law group, students L.A.W. and J.W. have friends from many different faith backgrounds and wanted to start a prayer club after school to "bring students together to serve their community."

[CBN News] Two Washington elementary school students are demanding that their school allow them to start an interfaith prayer club after the school's principal denied them access to meet on school grounds. (Image: Unsplash-Rosie Sun)

First Liberty Institute, a non-profit legal group, is representing two students from Creekside Elementary and their parents, claiming that school officials engaged in religious discrimination when they denied the students the opportunity to start a prayer group.

According to the law group, students L.A.W. and J.W. have friends from many different faith backgrounds and wanted to start a prayer club after school to "bring students together to serve their community."

L.A.W. and her mother met with Creekside Principal Amy Allison twice in February about the club, but Allison claimed that all the funding for school clubs was allocated in October, so the club would not be allowed to meet.

An LGBTQ Pride club, however, was launched and promoted by teachers just a week before L.A.W. met with the principal.

Allison told L.A.W. that her only option for the prayer club was to pay for space like outside groups.

First Liberty Institute wrote a letter on behalf of the students alleging Allison's actions were unlawful and violated both the Free Exercise Clause and the Free Speech Clause.

"Principal Allison's suggestion that L.A.W. could apply and pay to use the school's facilities as if she were an outside organization is an unlawful sidestep of the law's requirements. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, religious clubs must be afforded the same recognition, access, and rights as other non-curricular clubs," the letter reads. 

First Liberty is giving Issaquah School District and Creekside Elementary School until April 22 to approve the prayer club stating it is a "time-sensitive matter."

"Denying the formation of a religious student club while allowing other clubs violates the Constitution," said Kayla Toney, associate counsel at First Liberty Institute. "School officials at Creekside Elementary are engaged in religious discrimination against an eleven-year-old girl who simply wants to pray, feel support from other religious friends, and do community service. In Coach Kennedy's case just a short drive away in Bremerton, the Supreme Court held that students and staff can pray at school—and to prohibit them violates the First Amendment."

A spokesperson for Issaquah School District told CBN News they did receive the letter and will follow up with additional details after April 15.

"As you may already know, clubs offered are student-interest driven and meet outside of the school day. At the elementary level, participation in a club also requires parent permission," the spokesperson explained. "Once the school year begins, the building budget is set, and additional clubs are usually not added until the following school year." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Talia Wise has served as a multi-media producer for CBNNews.com, CBN Newswatch, The Prayer Link, and CBN News social media outlets.







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Shunning Cancel Culture, Carrie Underwood to Perform at Trump Inauguration

95-Year-Old Grandma Who Performed in 'The Ten Commandments' Dies in California Fires: 'Total Devastation'

Report Reveals How Abortion Bans Really Affect Women

Third British Labour MP Breaks Rank and Demands a National Inquiry into the Muslim Grooming Gangs Scandal

Biden Shields 1.2 Million Illegal Immigrants, Which May Include Venezuelan Gang Members, from Trump Deportations

Biden Designates 'One-Time Payment' of $770 for Victims of Devastating SoCal Fires, While Sending Billions Overseas

Pete Hegseth Facing Hot Seat Today as Trump Cabinet Hearings Begin

Hamas Signals Acceptance of Draft Ceasefire Agreement That Includes Release of Hostages

YouVersion Bible App Breaks Record in Single-Day Downloads

Family Who Sang Hymn in Midst of California Wildfire Rubble Praises God for 36 Years in Home [Videos]

President Trump's Inauguration is a Week Away, Here Are the Officials In Charge of His Safety

Ohio Governor Signs Bill That 'Puts Parents Back in Charge' of Children's Education

FEMA Kicks Hurricane Helene Survivors Out of Temporary Housing

Bombshell Memo Spells Disaster for Karen Bass amid California Wildfires

Wildfire ActBlue 'Donation' Scandal Explodes; If You Want to Give to Help Victims, Be Aware

Death Toll Rises as Scorched SoCal Now a 'War Zone'; High Winds with 70 MPH Gust Returning, PRAY!

'I'm a Christian Man': Five Guys Cashier Goes Viral for Response to Controversial OnlyFans Model's 'Weird' Request [Video]

3 Reforms Trump Needs Congress to Pass to Root Out the Deep State

'Colossal Win for Women And Girls': Federal Court Rejects Biden Admin Redefinition of 'Sex' in Title IX Across Country

Port Strike Averted...and Who the Union Credits Is a Massive Embarrassment for Biden



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



BCN Plus

Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com