As AFN has reported, Taryn Israelson teaches first grade in the Wasatch County School District. In addition to teaching the leaders of tomorrow, she wanted to be a blessing to coworkers and posted a sign in the lounge inviting them to text message her with prayer requests.
She was told by the principal she could not do that.
"So, First Liberty wrote a letter on her behalf explaining the law to the district, basically about if they're going to allow other people to post things in that breakroom, that they cannot tell Taryn she can't post anything religious," attorney Keisha Russell summarizes.
The district said they would investigate and later informed First Liberty Institute that it would put a bulletin board in the breakroom and allow the employees to post any private messages on it.
"That is an acceptable response for us and for Taryn," Russell tells AFN. "We were able to settle it without litigation, thankfully."
She says this case should encourage people of faith to get legal assistance and not just assume their employer is correct when the employer says one cannot do something. Local governments also tend to be hostile toward religions sometimes, and Russell says people across the nation should stick up for themselves.
"Don't just assume … that the local government is necessarily right about what they're telling you," she says. "Do the work. Reach out to us and let us help you."
