Oakland Unified School District's (OUSD) Good News Clubs have filed suit because they have not been allowed to meet since before COVID, though secular clubs have been doing so.
"We've never lost a case involving Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) Good News Clubs, especially in situations like this where Oakland School District allows other secular clubs like Girls on the Run … but bans religious clubs … because of their Christian nature," Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel explains.
CEF's applications to use facilities on four different campuses within the district over the past two years have been denied on religious grounds. OUSD does not contest this evidence in court documents, attributing its treatment of CEF to a "new policy" and "new practices" that are not reflected in state and school district regulations.
"This is certainly an expensive, costly decision by the school district," Staver tells AFN. "They will lose this fight, and they'll end up having to pay. They need to be held accountable, and we will hold them accountable."
Liberty Counsel has represented approximately 200 CEF cases nationally and has never lost a case involving Good News Clubs. It is seeking a permanent injunction against OUSD’s unconstitutional actions so the Good News Clubs can resume holding after-school activities on these public school campuses.
