VICTORY: School Backs Down After Banning Christian Club

We are excited to share another important victory for religious liberty – this time in New Hampshire, where students were initially denied the ability to host a Christian club at their public school for several years.

When two students first approached school leadership about starting a Christian club, the principal refused, insisting that such a group would not be permitted. This unlawful discrimination continued for two years. That’s when the students reached out to the ACLJ, and we stepped in to defend them and enforce the law.

Take action with us to defend Christians, like these students, from the ongoing war on our faith. Sign our petition today.

The Equal Access Act makes it clear: If a public secondary school allows any non-curricular student clubs, it cannot discriminate against a religious club.

Thirty-five years ago, at the U.S. Supreme Court, the ACLJ argued for this very same issue in Board of Education v. Mergens. In that case, the Supreme Court overwhelmingly affirmed that schools cannot discriminate against students conducting a meeting based on the “religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meetings” under the Equal Access Act. The Equal Access Act further protects students from the influence of school officials on the content of voluntary, student-initiated meetings. It requires that religious clubs receive the same treatment as all other non-curricular student groups. Schools cannot single out religious groups for special restrictions or content censorship.

After being told “no,” the students didn’t give up. They reached out for help, and our ACLJ team immediately stepped in to counsel the students. We provided clear precedent and legal authority – cases that show schools cannot block a Christian club while allowing other student clubs to meet.

Once faced with the truth, the school quickly reversed its decision. The students are now free to host their Christian club on the same terms as other groups. This is a major victory not only for these students, but for all students in the district who now know that their religious liberty is protected under the law.

This case is a reminder of why we fight. Time and again, schools and government officials attempt to sideline or silence people of faith. Sometimes it’s intentional; other times it’s due to a lack of understanding of the law. Either way, the result is the same: Students’ constitutional rights are violated. That’s why the ACLJ stands ready to defend those rights and ensure that students are never forced to choose between their faith and their freedom.

Victories like this send a powerful message: Religious expression does not stop at the schoolhouse gate. When students want to gather, pray, or meet around their shared faith, the law is on their side.

We must stand up for religious liberty, or we could lose everything we have secured over our 35-year history at the ACLJ. Allowing students to express their faith and host Christian clubs affects every Christian student across the country. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. And that’s why we remain vigilant – because every win like this strengthens the foundation of freedom for the next student who faces opposition. Together, we are making sure the rights of students of faith are not only recognized but respected.

Join us in this fight. Stand with the ACLJ as we defend students’ rights, protect religious liberty, and ensure that the Equal Access Act continues to be enforced nationwide. Take action with us and add your name to the petition: Defeat the War on Faith.