BREAKING! FFRF with students, parents sues Huntington, W.Va., schools over Christian revival
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Nearly a dozen parents and students, with help from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, filed a high-profile federal lawsuit today over a Christian revival in a West Virginia school that prompted a recent student walkout.
More than 100 students, led by Huntington High School senior Max Nibert, staged a dramatic walkout on Feb. 9 to protest some students being forced to attend an evangelical Christian revival at the school on Feb. 2. The walkout, with students chanting “Separate the church and state” and “My faith, my choice,” was covered not only nationally by the Washington Post, NPR and CNN but also internationally.
The legal complaint in the case, Mays v. Cabell County Board of Education, notes, “For years, school system employees have violated the constitutional rights of students by promoting and advancing the Christian religion, as well as by coercing students into participating in Christian religious activity.” The lawsuit charges that two Huntington High School teachers during homeroom on Feb. 2 escorted their entire classes to the revival. Students, including a Jewish student who asked to leave but was not permitted to do so, were instructed to bow their heads in prayer and raise up their hands and were warned they needed to make a decision to follow Jesus or face eternal torment. Adult volunteers from a local church went into the crowd to pray with students. Plaintiff students observed teachers and administrators praying with church volunteers. Huntington High Principal Daniel Gleason was present at the assembly along with assistant principals.
Evangelist Nik Walker, who runs Nik Walker Ministries and had been leading revivals in Huntington for weeks, even prayed to thank God for the fact “that you are not going to let these students leave without . . . knowing you.”
FFRF has written several legal complaint letters over adult proselytizing, prayer and religious practices aimed at students within Cabell County Schools, which have been ignored.
Huntington East Middle School held separate Nik Walker Ministries assemblies on Feb. 1. It is FFRF’s understanding that a staff member requested the events and that some students attending those assemblies did not do so voluntarily. It seems parents were not informed in advance.
The lawsuit contends, “At the behest of adult evangelists, Huntington High School held an assembly for students that sought to convert students to evangelical Christianity. Some students were forced to attend. Regardless of whether attendance is mandatory or voluntary, the defendants violate the First Amendment by permitting, coordinating and encouraging students to attend an adult-led worship service and revival at their school during the school day. Parents and students bring this suit to stop these practices.”
Bethany Felinton, mother of the Jewish student, is one of the plaintiffs, along with three of her children. Most student plaintiffs are identified only by initials, with the exception of Max Nibert. They are suing the Cabell County Board of Education, its superintendent and Huntington High School Principal Daniel Gleason. Plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction enjoining the district from sponsoring any religious worship services, adult-led religious activities during the school day or participating in such events with students during the school day. Plaintiffs are seeking nominal damages in the amount of $1 per plaintiffs, plus costs and attorney’s fees.
Nibert, who is a named plaintiff, passed around a petition during the rally, getting about 75 signatures. During the protest, he said: “I have never been prouder of a group of my peers than I am right now. When ordinary citizens find their circumstances to be unfair, they change them. And that’s exactly what we’re doing today.”
FFRF Co-President Dan Barker is full of admiration for the students.
“We are so proud of these students and their parents for standing up for our secular schools and for student rights of conscience,” he says. “And we’re proud that FFRF is representing these champions of the First Amendment.”
Attorneys representing the plaintiffs include outside counsel Marc Schneider, FFRF Senior Counsel Patrick Elliott, FFRF Attorney Chris Line and West Virginia-based attorney Kristina Thomas Whiteaker.
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Hope that they win their case as it seems to me that this is a huge violation of the separation of church and state.
Me, too. The schools either need to stop hosting revivals, or start inviting representatives of all religions to hold services there.
I think the damages sought should have been greater. like enough to give those thumpers a reason to pass the collection plate for a decade or more.
Unfortunately, about the last thing any school system in WV needs is for their funds to be diverted to cover a lawsuit.
true, but they should fire all the school employees involved and go after the church leadership that instigated or participated in this unconstitutional act.
I can agree with that.
Absolutely.
It is a violation of separation of church and state unless it is a religious based, i.e. Catholic school or such. Biggest mistake made was holding said revival on school grounds rather than a separate neutral place like a park or something. This does not belong in public schools.
Hard to believe this happened, but apparently it did...
My thoughts exactly. We're only seeing the allegations in the lawsuit (one side of the story), so it's probably not as bad as it's being portrayed.
That said, if what we're reading is even slightly accurate, it's a huge problem.
I'm extremely fortunate that my home state doesn't put up with any thumper bullshit in public schools.
FFRF can kiss my fat, hairy, pimplely ass.
So, not a fan of the Constitution, eh?
thumpers are increasingly desperate to salvage whatever is left of their rapidly diminishing influence and numbers to the point of breaking every commandment and defying the very document that allows them the free dumb to be 3 millennium behind everyone else with average intelligence. they're either too ignorant or brainwashed to grasp the concept of "none of the above" as a legitimate religious choice of the 1st amendment.
Only when it's free speech that they support or their sect of Christianity. I wonder how he would feel if the students were told to kneel toward Mecca or face suspension, or maybe the Satanists held a revival during American Literature class.
BTW. ARKPDX, That's a mental image that nobody ever wanted. Im going to order a 55-gallon drum of brain bleach from Amazon.
Oh no. I am a huge fan of the Constitution. It's the FFRF I don't and will never like. Other groups I don't particularly care for are AOC and her squad, Antifa, BLM, the SPLC, the Nazis, the communists, the KKK, Westboro baptist, anyone associated with George Soros, most of the time the ACLU. And guess what? It is my right not to like those groups.
Well, that's what they're defending. Moreover, I'm pretty sure you know that, and are just trolling.
They are not defending anything. The school is not congress and FFRF has not relationship to the school and is not harmed in any way.
There is nothing that says I have to like the FFRF regardless of what theydo
The school is a taxpayer-funded public institution administered by the government, and therefore cannot favor one religion, let along coerce students into taking part. SCOTUS says you're wrong, and has for decades.
But again, I'm pretty sure you know that, and are just trolling.
what an incredibly misinformed comment.
Ya think.
So you're OK with a public school forcing religious teaching and activities on students?
What kinds of grades did you get in Civics?
they didn't teach that in gym class...
probably better than yours. I most likely went to a better school than you too.
I went to Catholic school thru 12th grade. Having religious teachings and events never hurt me nor did it hurt the non Catholic schoolmates.
Tell me, just what does the Constitution say about church and state. Be specific and do quote the Constitution word for word.
Catholic schools are religious and usually private schools. I'm talking about general public schools. Can you answer the question or are you just being obtuse?
I have no problem with public schools teaching about religions. Why would I?
Are you or devangelical going to answer my question in 4.1.15?
Then you have a problem with the constitution, the Founding Fathers, and multiple legal precedents. Duly noted.
What if a school had an assembly were some satanic priests converted Christian children?
Asinine question. But just so you know when I was in high school we had classes in comparative religions including both Christian and non Christian religions where we went to other religions services. We had a entire semester devoted to the study of Buddhism and went to a Hanimatsuri ceremony.
I have no I ssue with religion being taught in schools especially if it is an elective. I also have no problem with having religious clubs and things like Bible study on schools.
Maybe having prayers said in schools and a little religious training on schools might curb some of the violence we. See these days
By the way I am still waiting for one of you to answer 4.1.15.
Are you ?
Except that's not what we're talking about. This was not a comparative religions class. This was a public school providing a church with a captive audience with the force of the government behind it.
And WV has its own Constitution, which was also violated.
Taxpayers can't be forced to support churches. Providing a church with a meeting place and a captive audience violates the West Virginia State Constitution, as well as the United States Constitution.
Have no problem with the founding fathers. One of their first actions aftethe adoption of the Constitution was to create the office of the Congressional Chaplain and to start each session of Congress with a prayer or invocation. Those are things that continue til present day.
No, it's just putting the shoe on the other foot. If it's allowed for one religion, it must be allowed for all. After School Satan clubs for everybody!
Have no problem with the founding fathers. One of their first actions aftethe adoption of the Constitution was to create the office of the Congressional Chaplain and to start each session of Congress with a prayer or invocation.
They were also the ones who came up with the separation of church and state. So I'm glad you have no problem with that.
The issue isn't about elective classes on religion. It's about students being forced to attend to religious ceremony.
Except that it (teacher led/supported) is unconstitutional.
Didn't some students try to establish a Satan club at a school in response to another group forming a christian club several years ago?
I got straight A's in high school. As for a better school? Meh
I vaguely remember something about that, but not the details.
I'll ask again. Where in the constitution does it say that? Again be specific and quote the exact section.
It says that where. Be specific please
Pretty much in the entire paragraph I copied and pasted.
The first Amendment. Refer to the Establishment and free exercise clause.
Actually they didn't.
Also are you saying that having a chaplain that, by definition is a religious person, and by saying a prayer o invocation, also a religious activity, in Congress is a separation of church and state?
You mean this part?
Show me anywhere in there that says it is in constitutional for the school to do this. The school certainly is not Congress.
You avoided answering my question. What would you think if children at a public school supported by your tax dollars were herded into a Church Of Satan assembly at school?
Hell, what do you think would have happened if children at the parochial school you went to a million years ago were taken to a religious ceremony where they were prostheatized to by any other faith than their own? Most Baptists would be mad as Hell if their kids were exposed to a Catholic mass. Most Catholics would feel the same reciprocally. You really are not thinking this through. Most of us learned these religious freedom principles in public school which you admittedly did not attend...
When I was in high school the school took us to a Buddhist ceremony and an Episcopalian mass. We also had a Lutheran and a Presbyterian ministers come to the school and teach us about their religions.
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1. You attended a non-public parochial school.
2. If so, that was a part of some type of a comparative religion program. This was a religious revival. Quit playing cluelessness!
No wonder I usually avoid interacting with you.
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[[Taunting]] And it doesn't matter what type of school I went to. Having religious classes and exposure to other belief has not hurt me one it. It also didn't hurt my non Catholic classmates (there were several) either.
Why are you afraid of being exposed to religion
The Courts, especially the SCOTUS says it's there. Who better than the SCOTUS to interpret the Constitution or the intentions of the Founding Fathers? The landmark SCOTUS case, Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962), prohibited school led prayer (a "religious activity"), as it was unconstitutional. Then there was Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963), which prohibited school led bible readings. I suspect teacher led religious activities such as the issue in question will fall along the lines of Engel & Abington.
That's what churches are for. Not public schools.
Yes, they did! Particularly Jefferson and Madison.
No, it's a violation of separation. Even Madison was opposed to it.
At one time the courts including SCOTUS approve things like slavery, separate but equal and others. The courts have been found to be wrong in many instances. They were wrong there also.
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The courts have affirmed separation and the intentions of the FF in multiple precedents for nearly 150 years. The courts ate certainly not wrong about that. So that's not likely to change. The government has no business promoting or endorsing religion on anyone. I suspect if this religious activity was a Muslim, Satanist, or other religious activity, Christians would likely be up in arms over it.
I think all children in public schools need to don robes, form a circle around a bonfire, hold on to their ceremonial object (wand, athame, candle...) and praise the Goddesses and Gods that create our beautiful world.
I would just keep my kid(s) home any day these things are scheduled if they did not want to attend them.