{snip}
“In line with district policy, the Board of Education, by resolution, will formally establish the Bible Study Club during its December 10 meeting. We appreciate the patience of our students and their families during this process.”
In a demand letter sent on Monday, First Liberty Institute, a conservative Christian legal organization based in Plano-Texas, called on officials at Waterville Jr./Sr. High School to approve the request from eighth-grade student Elijah Nelson, to start a Bible club at the school.
Nelson’s attorney, C. Kevin Marshall of Jones Day, who partnered with First Liberty on the case, said the school’s initial refusal of the club because of its “religious” nature violates the federal Equal Access Act and the Constitution.
“Given the delay already, and with the Christmas season approaching, if we do not hear from you by December 11, we will assume you refuse to reconsider your denials and will proceed as our client directs, which might include litigation and the attorney’s fees that a winning claim earns under any of the legal grounds I have explained,” Marshall wrote in the Dec. 2, letter to the Waterville Central School District President Daniel Nichols, Spring and Waterville Jr./Sr. High School Principal Steve Grimm.
Marshall asserted in his letter that Nelson had legally met all the school’s requirements to establish the Bible club.
{snip}
“Elijah did all of this. He submitted a proposal to the School on January 4 of this year. … In it, he explained that the Bible club would study the world’s most widely published book to promote character development, mental health, critical thinking, group collaboration, and reading comprehension. He also explained that the club would meet weekly for Bible study, either before school or during the lunch hour,” Marshall wrote.
“He specified that the club would be open to any student with interest. And he proposed that local ministers might be invited to assist students, just as other clubs, like the School’s Gay Straight Alliance, host outside speakers.”
Despite meeting all the school’s requirements, Marshall said Nelson’s Bible club proposal was rejected simply because it would be religious.
“In January and October exchanges with Elijah’s father, Daniel, Assistant Principal Lindsay Owens explained that the School would not officially recognize the Bible club because lawyers for the district had advised her that recognizing a religious club would unconstitutionally ‘endorse’ religion,” Marshall said.
“Ms. Owens gave Elijah two alternatives: The club could meet informally during lunch while a staff member supervised the students without participating in the group’s activities; or the club could apply as an outside organization to use the School’s facilities after hours.
{snip}
“The advice Ms. Owens apparently received was flawed, and the School’s conclusion was legally incorrect. Rather than honoring its students’ rights consistent with federal law and the U.S. Constitution, as Ms. Owens sought to do, the School actually violated those rights,” he added. “It may not lawfully deny official recognition to a student club simply for being ‘associated with a religion.'”
* Original Article:
https://www.christianpost.com/news/ny-school-that-denied-bible-club-reverses-decision.html