A Washington state school is being accused of violating a fifth-grade student’s First Amendment religious freedom protections by denying his request to establish an interfaith prayer club on campus.
An eleven-year-old girl’s request to start a prayer group bringing together students from different religious backgrounds to “serve their community” was rejected by Creekside Elementary School in Sammamish, Washington.
However, Creekside allows more than a dozen other ‘non-religious clubs’ to meet, including a Pride Club, which is a ‘safe space’ to educate students and staff about ‘LGBTQIA+ history and people,’ according to the school’s website.
Principal Amy Allison also allows a Green Team, focused on making the school “more sustainable,” the Marimba Club, the Chess Club, and the Student Council, among other secular groups.
“Denying the formation of a religious student club while allowing other clubs violates the Constitution,” Kayla Toney, associate attorney at First Liberty Institute, told DailyMail.com.
The school district is also near Bremerton, Washington, where coach Joseph Kennedy won at the Supreme Court in 2022 over his wrongful firing for leading prayers on the field with his high school football team.
Creekside Elementary allows a Pride Club, which is a “safe space for students to build community” as well as to “educate and raise student and staff awareness about LGBTQIA+ history and people,” according to the website from school.
Bremerton High assistant football coach Joe Kennedy, front, walks off the field with his attorney, right, on Oct. 16, 2015, after praying at the 50-yard line following a football game in Bremerton , Washington.
Joe Kennedy is surrounded by Centralia High School football players as they kneel and pray with him on the field after their game in 2015.
Former Bremerton High School assistant football coach Joe Kennedy kneels in front of the United States Supreme Court after his legal case.
Bremerton paid a high price for stopping Coach Kennedy from praying, but apparently other schools in Washington aren’t getting the message.
“In Coach Kennedy’s case just a short drive away in Bremerton, the Supreme Court held that students and staff can pray at school, and banning them violates the First Amendment,” Toney added.
‘School officials at Creekside Elementary School are involved in religious discrimination against an eleven-year-old girl who simply wants to pray, feel supported by other religious friends, and do community service.’
First Liberty is now warning the school that its decision to reject the prayer club is unconstitutional.
“Such anti-religious discrimination violates the free speech and exercise clauses of the First Amendment,” Toney writes in a letter to Principal Amy Allison and the Issaquah School District Board of Trustees.
She specifically told DailyMail.com that the school’s request that the eleven-year-old student pay to facilitate the club on campus after school – as an outside group – creates an unfair standard compared to other secular groups. allowed.
Additionally, he says it’s “significant” that the school allows other clubs on campus, but not a religious club.
“This is viewpoint discrimination,” Toney continued.
The principal never responded to the eleven-year-old student’s follow-up request to establish the club.
Toney goes on to say that, as the Supreme Court’s decision in the Kennedy case made clear, the ‘The First Amendment protects the ability of students and employees to express their faith in public schools.’
Based on Supreme Court precedent in the neighboring school district, the Issaquah School District must allow the prayer club immediately, it continues.
Based on Supreme Court precedent in neighboring school district, Issaquah School District should allow prayer club, attorneys say
Otherwise, First Liberty will likely take the matter to court and hope to win as it did in the Coach Kennedy case.
Toney states that the application to start a prayer club must be allowed no later than April 29, 2024.
“If we do not hear from you or receive such assurances at that time, we will proceed as directed by our clients, likely using all available legal remedies,” the letter concludes.
Toney said “we are ready to litigate if necessary” and are “fully prepared to take this to court.”
DailyMail.com contacted Creekside Elementary School and the district school board for comment.