ICC Note: Last year, Washington’s Cascade School District prohibited two Christian clubs from handing out promotional flyers to the students after a parent complained. However, once the Liberty Counsel got involved in the matter, explaining that the distribution of such flyers was indeed constitutionally acceptable, the school district overturned the ban. This same school district was the center of another controversy in 2013 when an atheist activist group issued a letter of complaint regarding the distribution of Bibles.
By Michael F. Haverluck
01/23/2017 United States (One News Now) – Flyers inviting elementary school students to join Good News Clubs are no longer banned on Washington state campuses after a school district reversed its decision that prohibited a Christian evangelical group from handing them out to students.
Last year, after receiving a parental complaint, the Cascade School District stopped Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and its Good News Clubs from distributing flyers to elementary school students. School officials caved in to the disgruntled parent, fearing an impending lawsuit alleging the establishment of religion – or some other argument claiming that the distribution was unconstitutional – would back up the claim.
The Constitution to the rescue
School officials’ fears, however, were laid to rest after Liberty Counsel explained that the distribution of Good News Club flyers was indeed allowed. This resulted in the district turning things around so that it allows CEF to promote the Christian club to elementary school students once again.
According to Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver, district officials were wise to let CEF continue handing out their invitation materials.
“The Cascade School District made the appropriate decision to eliminate the unconstitutional policy and recognize that the Good News Club has equal access to students,” Staver announced in a press release. “Public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints and allow other organizations to promote their materials. We are elated with this victory for Child Evangelism Fellowship, for equal access and for our Constitution.”
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