Atheists Shut Down Elementary School Christian Club

A rural Florida elementary school, the only one serving its county, shut down a Christian club after a random Wisconsin atheist group complained. 

Despite Wisconsin being more than 1,150 miles from Hamilton County Elementary School in Florida, members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) still felt the need to accuse the school of violating the U.S. Constitution by hosting a North Central Florida Fellowship of Christian Athletes (NCFFCA) program, according to The Christian Post. 

FFRF, an atheist legal group, has previously sued on behalf of such groups as the Satanic Temple, apparently routinely sends letters to public schools demanding they remove all instances of Christian information and gatherings, including groups, imagery, and even music. (LEARN MORE: Street Preacher Wins Settlement Over Free Speech)

Christians Banned By Everything Else Is Ok?

FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence wrote in a letter that the school was guilty of “constitutional violation” by simply allowing a Christian club to happen on their campus. “”Any claims that the Hamilton Elementary FCA club is ‘student-led’ are at best naive and at worst dishonest,” Lawrence said, though it is unclear what evidence supports this claim. “Young children cannot practically initiate, organize, and run an FCA club on their own, meaning adults are the ones truly behind the club.” (LEARN MORE: Supreme Court To Hear Ultimate Free Speech, Censorship Case)

In a response letter, the school district’s attorney wrote that “a small group of fifth graders” were participating in the FCA club, which was subsequently disbanded following the anti-Christian letter. “While these same students will be eligible to participate in FCA on the campus of Hamilton County High School in a few short months as sixth graders, in an effort to avoid any perception that such a gathering on the campus of Hamilton Elementary is being organized, promoted or endorsed by the District or its employees, the club has been dispersed,” the attorney wrote.

Sad Day For Freedom

The willingness to take away an athletics program from children is a scary reminder that not everyone involved in your children’s upbringing may have the best intentions for their growth. “Banning students from having a religious club at a school while permitting other, secular clubs is a travesty that teaches children their faith is unwelcome and must be hidden,” First Liberty Institute senior counsel Justin Butterfield said in a statement. (LEARN MORE: What NFL Stars Have To Say About Their Faith)

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that students’ religious viewpoints are protected by the First Amendment and that students do not give up their free speech rights while at school — including elementary schools,” he continued. “When groups like FFRF pressure schools to ban religious student clubs like FCA while permitting secular clubs, those groups are pressuring schools to break the law.”

Don’t Let Your District Do The Same

You can protect your religious freedoms today. With something as simple as writing a letter — which we can do for you — you can lobby your local, state, and federally elected officials into protecting you, your kin, and your religious freedoms in legislation.

Sign up for www.millionvoices.org today (text MV to 80550) and share this article with your friends and family so they can stay informed and become citizen lobbyists in the pursuit of faith and freedom across our great nation.