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June 29, 2009 in Nation/World, Region
Court won’t get involved in Bible club question
SEATTLE — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to stop the Kent School District from blocking a group of Christian students from forming a Bible club on a high school campus.
The court refused to hear an appeal from the high school students who wanted to form the Truth Bible Club at Kentridge High School in Washington state in 2001.
The Associated Student Body council refused to let the group be chartered as a school club. It cited the group’s name and the fact that students would have to pledge to Jesus Christ to vote in the club, and it argued that allowing the club would bring religion into the school. The club’s would-be founders then sued the Kent School District, claiming discrimination.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the district did not violate the students’ First Amendment rights by requiring them to allow all students full membership in their club.
Tim Chandler, an attorney with Alliance Defense Fund which represents the Bible club, said the group was disappointed with the ruling and will continue to fight on behalf of the students.
It will look more closely at district’s nondiscrimination policy to make sure it has been applied equally, he said.
Michael Tierney, a Mercer Island attorney representing the school district, said the case focused on a narrow section of an evolving area of law.
“I think there’s an image of this case that’s a lot broader than it really is,” Tierney said Monday.
The decision does not block the formation of Bible clubs — several schools in the Kent district have them. It does not prevent the Truth Bible Club from meeting on school property — almost any group can meet on school property, including religious groups.
Rather, Tierney said, the decision allows the student council to refuse to make the Bible group an official student organization, with all the trappings of that status including access to student government money.
The school district says all official student groups must be open to all, without requiring a religious membership pledge or adherence to a Christian code of conduct as the Truth Bible Club was proposing for its voting members.
Tierney said the district doesn’t consider the Supreme Court decision to be a win or loss. Instead, he said it was looking for guidance on what it should do.
“The school district is going to do whatever the courts tell them it’s supposed to do,” he said.
The case is Truth v. Kent School District, 08-1130, and Kent School District v. Truth, 08-1268.
© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Ninch on June 29 at 8:29 a.m.
Good outcome since the bible club membership was restrictive. Difficult to see where the “freedom of speech” argument comes in when the club “required” an acceptance oath… ergo violating the “speech” freedom of others.
George_Sands on June 29 at 12:10 p.m.
Ninch concur. When the attendance “required” an oath, that crossed the line by restricting others Free Speech. Good call.
opiemuyo on June 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Silly to expect anything other than this decision from the 9th district circus…
opiemuyo on June 29 at 7:31 p.m.
The founding fathers wanted freedom of religion, not freedom from. This means you can worship when and where you want.
davidthewhat on June 29 at 7:44 p.m.
So one group of students who are Christian cannot guarantee the exclusivity of their Christian views in their group? Can the chess club be overrun with bowlers or the Spanish Club with French students and change the complexities of their particular groups? The Christian group simply sought to be with their fellow Christians and whether the Supreme Court likes it or not, the Christian religion and faith have validity to it and exclusivity to it, that if they were to accept non-Christians, it would change the complexities of the group.
spokanada on June 29 at 10:16 p.m.
David, ask youself this. Would you feel the same way if it was a muslim group? If there was going to be a religious club at school to discuss faith why limit to only christians by making them pledge.
davidthewhat on June 30 at 9:03 a.m.
Christians believe in Christ and Muslims believe in Mohammad. An honest faithful Muslim who professes sincere faith as much as a honest sincere Christian professes sincere faith both have belief and faith in God. I know I wouldn’t have any problems with a Muslim group. I don’t think, though, that a Christian group would integrate very well with Muslims and a Muslim group very well with Christians, if the group focus is on their faiths. It is likewise true that non-Christians would not integrate very well in a group that is focused on the Christian faith and is about faith. Likewise with Muslims. If non-religious were to intermingle with religious it would lead any focus that the groups would have on religion and faith to an intellectual level about faith and God, most particularly His existence, and be would be void of the true religious focus on faith.
spokanada on June 30 at 12:45 p.m.
Thanks for the reply. Well said.