The principal has placed the request for a new student club on hold pending guidance from the Smith County Board of Education, stating that the school wants to “meticulously follow all state and federal laws,” according to an official letter.
Holly Randall, attorney for First Liberty—a national organization dedicated to defending religious freedom—expressed support for the district’s diligence. “We appreciate the district’s commitment to following the law,” Randall said. “Federal and state law, along with both constitutions, clearly protect students’ rights to form religious clubs.”
In the letter, First Liberty warned that denying the faith-based club would violate the First Amendment and called on the Smith County Board of Education to approve the club in order to uphold students’ religious freedom. “It is a fundamental principle of the First Amendment that students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate,” the letter states.
Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty, told The Center Square that the group aims to help the district comply with the law without resorting to litigation. “We want to be a help to the school district. We want to resolve this issue on behalf of our clients and maximize the amount of freedom—not just for our clients, but for students current and future within the school district,” Dys said in an exclusive interview.
The letter cited important religious liberty precedents and included a note from Dys about the founders’ vision for a public square “where all perspectives are welcome and can compete through free speech for truth.” He acknowledged that, “It’s a new day in our country, but it will take time for Americans to welcome that [free speech] again.”
First Liberty Institute has asked the school district to respond within 30 days with plans to ensure that students are able to lead a faith-based athletic club at both schools.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/education/3888433/attorneys-urge-tennessee-school-allow-christian-clubs/
