School District Cancels Discriminatory Fee Schedule Imposed on Christian Group
by Allie Martin
May 4, 2005
(AgapePress) - A Washington State school district has backed down from charging a Christian after-school club excessive fees to use school facilities.Initially, representatives of Child Evangelism Fellowship's Good News Clubs in the Marysville School District were told by district officials that state law in Washington required them to charge the Christian group more for its use of school facilities than they would charge similar secular clubs. While civic and community groups such as the Boy Scouts were charged one set fee, the Good News Club was being charged more because it is a religious organization.
The director of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) in Snohomish County contacted Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based legal organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom and other pro-family causes. Liberty Counsel immediately sent a demand letter to the Marysville School District, explaining that Washington state law does not require school officials to target religious groups for discrimination by charging disparate fees based on their religious viewpoint.
Mat Staver | |
Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver says the case has been resolved. "As a result of our intervention -- and just before filing a lawsuit against this school district -- they did reverse their position, fortunately," he notes. "They've now agreed to allow Good News Clubs to meet on campus after school at the same kind of rental fee that they charge anyone else, which is 50 cents per hour."The district officials changed their minds, Staver explains, after they were confronted with the fact that, rather than abiding by state law, they were actually violating the Christian organization's constitutional right to equal access. "Even though the Good News Club was allowed access," the attorney says, "they were discriminated in the access once they got there. Equal access means not only do they have an opportunity to meet on campus on an equal basis, but they also have an opportunity to be equally treated in every respect."
But after an exchange of letters between Liberty Counsel and the district, Staver says the Marysville school officials reversed their decision to charge the Christian club excessive fees. The school district also agreed to reimburse CEF for all past excessive fees paid by the Good News Club for the use of school facilities.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
