Christian Group Files Suit Against School District

Published Monday, February 16th, 2009 in Culture & Society

In another case of alleged discrimination against a religious group on campus, the Liberty Counsel on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against the Cobb County School District.

The Liberty Counsel is representing Child Evangelism Fellowship of Georgia (CEF). Liberty calls district policy unconstitutional and claims it is causing “irreparable harm in violation of the First Amendment.

At issue is a fee the district charges CEF for its Good News Clubs to use the school facilities after school. Liberty says the district’s policy also discriminates in terms of the time the Christian group may use the facilities compared to similar secular groups.

Specifically, since December 2007, the district has allegedly refused to grant CEF the same access it provides to Boy Scouts and similar organizations.

District policy allows free access for many types of secular community organizations including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, PTA, Booster Clubs, advisory organizations, and many others. These secular groups are permitted access immediately after school.

The district not only charges a CEF a fee, but its policy also does not permit CEF to meet until after 5:45 pm. That translates minimal attendance, Liberty claims, because of the inconvenient time. As a result, CEF’s Good News Club had to cease meeting on school campuses despite the fact that many parents wanted the club to continue for their children.

The Liberty Group charges that Christian groups or organizations should not be discriminated against because of their Christian viewpoint. Equal access applies not only to access, but also includes usage fees and time of meeting.

“Equal access is the law, and equal access means equal treatment in every respect. Equal access applies to use of the facilities, usage fees, times of meetings and advertisements of the meetings,” says Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law.

According to Staver, the First Amendment prohibits all forms of viewpoint discrimination, whether such discrimination be overt or subtle. Good News Clubs, he continues, are one of the most positive influences that public schools can offer to parents and their children.

“It is absurd that anyone would want to reject an organization that promotes patriotism, civic responsibility, and character development,” Staver says. “These are qualities that young children need to learn about and develop. Instead of restricting Good News Clubs, public schools ought to embrace them.”