First Liberty represents LifeWise Academy and Sarah Sweeney in a case out of Everett, Washington, where the school system and people in the community have been hostile toward the nonprofit that brings Bible-based education to public school students during the school day through off-campus "release time" programs.
Attorney Holly Randall says her firm did not want to bring a lawsuit; they initially asked the school system to comply with Supreme Court precedent and treat LifeWise the same as other clubs.
Instead, Everett School District opted to continue discriminating against the religious program with burdensome permission slip requirements, exclusion from community fairs and advertising, and requiring the students to hide their Bible in a sealed envelope in their backpack when they return to class.
Additionally, school board Director Charles Adkins has falsely alleged that the mission of LifeWise is "to bring white supremacy and Christian nationalism to our schools" and to "snuff out the cultures, religion, and language of native kids and other kids of color."
Randall has previously told AFN the lawsuit displays that kind of "animus-fueled environment" Christians are dealing with in Everett.
First Liberty has requested a preliminary injunction to stop the school system's hostility.
"We're asking that the court put a pause on those policies while we litigate the constitutionality of them," Randall notes. "Really, we just want LifeWise to be treated equally to other organizations and not treated in a more negative or burdensome way just because they're a religious organization."
The Supreme Court ruled in Zorach v. Clauson in 1952 that public school students can be released from public schools during school hours to attend religious classes if the program is off school property and privately funded and if the students have parental permission.
LifeWise's program has been popular at Emerson Elementary since it was first offered last year. Currently, 55 families from the elementary school participate.
