Wash. school district prohibits students from praying during non-instructional time

SPOKANE, Wash. — ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against a Washington school district Wednesday after officials refused to honor the rights of Christian students wishing to assemble on campus during non-instructional time.  The East Valley School District has denied the group access to school facilities at any time during the school day for prayer and religious discussions while at the same time allowing other students to meet for nonreligious purposes.

“Christians shouldn’t be discriminated against based on their beliefs,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman.  “School officials cannot deny the constitutional rights of Christian students simply because they want to engage in religious discussion and prayer.”

In December 2007, a student at East Valley High School, identified as A.L., attempted to meet with about four other students during non-instructional time for the purpose of discussion, prayer, and fasting.  The school’s career services room is open three days a week during the lunch period for students to meet and assemble for the purpose of engaging in discussion and group activities.

During several meetings with A.L. and A.L.’s parents, EVHS Principal Jeff Miller stated that district policies prohibited the group from meeting.  Additionally, he said that allowing the group to meet would violate the so-called “separation of church and state.”  Miller said that no group of students can meet at EVHS during the school day for a religious purpose or to engage in religious speech, even though other groups of students may meet for nonreligious purposes and to engage in nonreligious speech.

“The school’s position is at odds with numerous court decisions on such matters,” explained ADF Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco.  “As the Supreme Court has stated, students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.”

ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.