Attorneys urge Tennessee school to allow Christian clubs
Attorneys from teh First Liberty Institute have sent a letter to a Tennessee school board urging them to approve a family’s request to start faith-based athletic clubs at two local schools-Smith County Middle School and Carthage Elementary School. The clubs, proposed by a father and his sons, would allow students to pray, support each other in their faith, and listen to devotionals. Even though the school’s principal placed the proposal on hold pending guidance from the district, First Liberty argues that federal and state laws, including the first Amendment, protect students’ rights to form religious clubs. The organization hopes to help the school comply with the law without resorting to legal action, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom and free speech in public schools. They have requested the school district respond within 30 days with a plan to allow the clubs.
Attorneys urge Tennessee school to allow Christian clubs
(The Center Square) – First Liberty Institute sent a letter to a Tennessee school board, urging approval of a family’s request to start faith-based athletic clubs, after the principal placed the proposal on hold.
A Tennessee dad, Josh Gibb, and his sons, students at Smith County Middle School and Carthage Elementary School, sought to lead faith-based athletic clubs, where students can pray, encourage one another in their faith, and listen to a devotional. Both schools are in Carthage, Tennessee.
The principal placed the request on hold pending guidance from the Smith County Board of Education, saying that the school wants to “meticulously follow all state and federal laws,” according to the letter.
“We appreciate the district’s commitment to following the law,” said Holly Randall, attorney for First Liberty, a national organization dedicated to defending religious freedom. “Federal and state law, along with both constitutions, clearly protect students’ rights to form religious clubs.”
The letter warns that denying the faith-based club would violate the First Amendment and requests that the Smith County Board of Education approve the faith-based athletic club to uphold students’ religious freedom.
“It is a fundamental principle of the First Amendment that students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate,” the letter states.
Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty, told The Center Square the group aims to help the district comply without the case going to court.
“We want to be a help to the school district. We want to resolve this issue on behalf of our clients and maximize the amount of freedom, not just for our clients, but for students current and future within the school district,” Dys told The Center Square in an exclusive interview.
FLORIDA VOTES TO TEACH THE DANGERS OF COMMUNISM IN K-12
The letter cited religious liberty precedents. Dys noted the founders envisioned a public square “where all perspectives are welcome and can compete through free speech for truth. It’s a new day in our country, but it will take time for Americans to welcome that (free speech) again.”
First Liberty Institute wants the school to write back within 30 days with plans ensuring the students can lead a faith-based athletic student club at both schools.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
