The two students at Michigan's West Ward Elementary School had a plan but soon found a problem. Soon they got the help they needed and were back on track.
AFN connected with Kayla Toney, counsel at First Liberty Institute, and the attorney representing the two students.
“Well, we're so glad the school very quickly decided to do the right thing. So, our students will be allowed to sing the Christian songs they chose that they've been practicing all month in the talent show here in a few weeks."
She said this all began a days ago when her team received a request for legal help through their website.
A dad sought help with a nine-year-old son who had been told the Brandon Lake song he chose to sing in a talent show was “too Christian-based.”
The family was told the choice of song “would violate the separation of church and state. And so when the dad and mom reached out to the principal to ask if this was really the school's position, the principal did confirm that the song was concerning because it was focused on worshipping God,” Toney said.
The parents were told their son could sing his song at the audition, but if he was chosen for the talent show he would have to alter the lyrics or choose a different song.
“That’s just not right. That's not constitutional for the school to censor a child's religious expression,” Toney said.
First Liberty then sent a letter to the school district explaining how the Constitution and the First Amendment protect students' rights to express their faith freely, even in a public-school setting.
The district quickly responded in a conciliatory tone.
“Just 16 hours after our letter was sent, we received a nice note from the superintendent, acknowledging that there had been a mistake and that guidance was needed for his staff on what religious expression is allowed in school, and they are happy to have the children participate fully in the talent show as planned with the Christian songs that they have chosen."
