After ACLJ Legal Action, School District Promises To Protect Christian Student’s Religious Rights

We have an important update in our case defending a Christian student’s religious liberty in Washington state.

As we previously reported, we filed a federal lawsuit after repeated violations of our 6th-grade client’s First Amendment rights, culminating in her being told she had “no choice” but to return to a school assembly that conflicted with her Christian beliefs.

In an important preliminary ruling, a federal judge recognized that the Highline Public School District has made significant commitments regarding how it will handle these situations going forward. The district has committed to placing future school assemblies on its calendar, providing families advance notice of upcoming assemblies. It has also told our client in writing that she may opt out of future assemblies and stated that students may decline to attend assemblies and instead go to an alternate location.

The district has also updated its website to expressly state that students who decline to participate in school activities that offend their beliefs cannot be penalized or pressured to choose between participation and their religious beliefs. And district leadership has also met with administrators at our client’s school regarding her First Amendment rights and says it will provide appropriate guidance to school staff.

These commitments were central to the court’s ruling. The judge relied on the district’s assurances about advance notice, the ability to opt out, and the protection of our client’s religious rights in concluding that the threat of future harm did not warrant preliminary injunctive relief.

These are meaningful protections for our client and her family. Parents should have the opportunity to know when their children will be exposed to school programming that may conflict with their deeply held religious beliefs, and students should not be pressured to participate in activities that violate their faith.

The underlying case remains ongoing. We are encouraged by the district’s commitments regarding how our clients’ rights will be protected going forward, and we will continue working to ensure that their constitutional rights are respected.

If you are experiencing something similar, reach out to the ACLJ at ACLJ.org/Help.

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