South Carolina —
With the help of FFRF, the Abbeville County School District addressed multiple constitutional concerns that made the district appear to be closely intertwined with a local religious group.
A district parent reported that Westwood Elementary School had been hosting church-related events during the breakfast hour every Wednesday that were being run by a teacher at the school. Additionally, the school has held fundraisers for religious groups, including taking part in a “Unity Walk” and selling T-shirts for the event in support of the United Christian Ministries of Abbeville County.
Another school-sponsored fundraiser sold Fellowship of Christian Athletes T-shirts with “John 3:16” printed on the back. These shirts were also given out to all students seemingly by the school. Also, the official Westwood Elementary School Facebook page has promoted prayer events in connection with a “Buddy Bench” that was donated to the school, which has the bible verse “1 Thessalonians 5:11” printed on it.
“Even if [the religious group] is properly renting school space for its meetings, Westwood Elementary School cannot give the group favored treatment through preferential rental terms, or by promoting or encouraging student attendance at the church breakfasts,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district.
Superintendent Lori Brownlee-Brewton responded to FFRF, addressing the concerns on a case-by-case basis. The morning gathering group was now being conducted by an outside group before the start of the school day and outside of the district’s breakfast period. The Buddy Bench is secular in purpose and design, and is not a religious display and was not established, designated, or approved by the district for any religious purpose. The Unity Walk was organized as a secular event to promote community unity.
“We acknowledge the concerns raised regarding social media communications and the associated T-shirt fundraiser,” Brownlee-Brewton wrote. “The district is addressing these matters through increased oversight to ensure that future communications and activities clearly align with constitutional requirements and district policy.”
