Jun 17, 2025
In a significant win for student religious freedom, a Texas school district has reversed its stance and affirmed a fifth-grade student's constitutional right to share Bible verses on campus. The student, who has special needs and attends Cedar Valley Elementary in the Killeen Independent School District near Austin, began distributing handwritten Bible verses during recess and non-class time. Initially permitted, the activity was later halted when the school principal reprimanded the student on May 12 and confiscated the verses, citing potential parental complaints. The student had been sharing verses from books like Genesis, Revelation, Romans, and Psalms, offering messages of encouragement and faith.
The student’s foster mother, with the support of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), pushed back, asserting the child’s First Amendment rights. When the principal failed to produce a policy justifying the ban, ACLJ sent a legal demand letter referencing Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit rulings affirming students' right to share religious materials during non-instructional time. Facing potential legal action, the district responded on May 22, confirming the student’s right to distribute religious literature outside of classroom instruction. The district also informed ACLJ that the staff involved had been briefed on these rights moving forward. ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow called the outcome a victory not just for one student, but for every student’s right to live out their faith in public schools.
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SOURCE: Decision Magazine