Court rules for religious group on after-school access

[rug]

Posted by: Steve Brandt
August 30, 2012 - 11:51 AM

A religious-based club that met in a Minneapolis school won a court victory against the school district, when a federal appeals court determined the district could not exclude the club from its after-school activities program.

The ruling filed Wednesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit comes in a request for an injunction by Child Evangelism Fellowship of Minnesota to maintain standing as an after-school community partner at Jenny Lind Elementary School.

The district court abused its discretion in denying the fellowship's injunction, the appeals court ruled in reversing the denial and sending the case back to the trial court.

The program gained access to the school in 2000 to hold its weekly “good-news clubs” for students ages five to 12. The meetings involve Bible stories, lessons on moral and character development, prayer, songs and creative activities. They are open to all students, with parental permission.

http://www.startribune.com/blogs/168007986.html

The decision:

http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/12/08/113225P.pdf

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Are there no churches in Minneapolis? I do not approve of this use of public property.

[Goblinmonger]

2. If they let other clubs use the building

they need to let these guys.

[longship]

3. I don't like it, but this is prob correct

The Good News clubs are a bad deal for parents in those districts which give access during the school day. That would be illegal. But after school and only with parental permission would have to be okay.

I would not support it without parental permission because Good News tries to convert these youngsters to a very conservative form of protestent Christianity.

[pinto]

4. Bad call. There were school district funds attached to "after-school partner" status.

"The Missouri-based fellowship lost its status as an after-school partner at the North Side school in 2009 after a school employee raised concerns about its prayer and proselytizing activities. Although the program still was able to use the school to meet, it lost district bus and food services. The changes cut attendance from 47 to five students, the court said."

The school space was still open for use, but bus and food services to a religious organization wouldn't be made available. That funding crossed a line, imo. Otherwise I support using public spaces for public events. Schools sit empty most evenings.

Best call I think is for the district to not provide transportation and food services to any group, save for specifically school sponsored events.

[cbayer]

5. I think the issue here is that they provide food and transportation for other groups that

meet after hours.

The court called this on "viewpoint discrimination".

I tend to agree with you that this crosses the line, but would be curious to know what other kinds of groups they have.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

6. How fast do you think the Child Evangelism Fellowship would scream Bloody Murder

If a Wiccan or Islamic program started to meet at the school at the same time, getting all the same perks.