Alabama —
The Orange Beach City Schools (OBCS) will not be promoting Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at a district school after FFRF took issue with the constitutional violation at play.
FFRF learned that OBCS staff had been organizing and promoting a FCA club for students at Orange Beach Elementary School. Per a March 12 post on the official Orange Beach Elementary School Facebook page, the school was hosting and potentially organizing the FCA club meeting in the school’s gym. The promotional nature of the post and the fact that it appeared on an official OBCS school social media page suggested that OBCS staff, not students, were running the club.
“Religious clubs for students at elementary schools cannot authentically be student-run, and thus are unconstitutional,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to Superintendent Randy Wilkes.
After FFRF sent its letter, Wilkes informed FFRF via email about the correctional action the district took. “Steps have already been taken to ensure that all school-sponsored activities comply with applicable state and federal laws and Orange Beach City Schools’ policies and procedures,” Wilkes wrote. “Appropriate changes have been implemented to clarify the proper use of school communications and facilities related to non-curricular organizations.”
