Carmel, California – After much resistance, the Carmel United School District has agreed to allow Child Evangelism Fellowship of California (CEF) to distribute flyers to students announcing its Good News Clubs. Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter on behalf of CEF, asking the Carmel United School District to reverse its unconstitutional decision. The district complied, allowing CEF to distribute the announcements.

Good News Club coordinator Myra Skipwith encountered numerous obstacles while starting a new after-school program in the school district. Submissions to the school became “lost” without explanation, and attempts to resolve the problem only resulted in a lack of response and resistance from school officials. Mrs. Skipwith repeatedly filled out forms and contacted school officials but received contradictory answers and then a denial of her request.

The school district claimed that allowing the distribution of CEF’s announcements would be an endorsement of Christianity. The district’s actions were in violation of the constitutional requirement of equal treatment for religious viewpoints.

The United States Supreme Court has already ruled that Good News Clubs must have the same access to school facilities as other after-school programs. A school cannot reject CEF’s use of facilities because of its religious viewpoint. Federal appeals courts have confirmed that equal treatment specifically includes the right to have literature distributed on the same terms and conditions as other groups.

After-school Good News Clubs teach children respect, good citizenship and moral values from a biblical perspective. Liberty Counsel has obtained victories for CEF in numerous states from coast to coast and frequently litigates when school districts do not reverse unequal treatment of Good News Clubs.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: The only rationale for discrimination against Good News Clubs is ignorance of the law or animus to the Christian message. The law is crystal clear. Christian viewpoints are constitutionally protected. Public schools must provide equal access for Christian viewpoints and Christian clubs.