Arizona —
A district parent reported to FFRF that Abia Judd Elementary School was promoting and hosting a Good News Club for pre-K through fourth-grade students. Per a schedule of official school-sponsored, teacher-led activities sent to parents, the club took place after school on Wednesdays and was hosted by a first-grade teacher with the district.
“Students have the First Amendment right to be free from religious promotion in their public schools,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. “Public elementary schools may not show favoritism toward or coerce belief or participation in religion.” Along with the letter, FFRF submitted a records request to learn more information about the club.
After FFRF’s letter, Dave Pauole, the district’s legal counsel, emailed FFRF while also providing the records without hesitation. “The Good News Club is sponsored and operated by an outside organization, Child Evangelism Fellowship of Arizona. This organization rents a classroom at Abia Judd ES on a weekly basis under a facilities use agreement,” Pauole wrote. “A Prescott USD teacher had attended the club as an observer only. The teacher will no longer attend the club at all.”
