FFRF victories (December 2025)

By Greg Fletcher

Alabama

In Alabama, the Cullman County Schools District superintendent apologized to FFRF after a parent reported that their child received a bible at school, and promised to speak with district principals to prevent similar events in the future.

A district parent reported that on Sept. 15, Fairview Elementary School invited three men to enter their child’s classroom during instructional time to distribute bibles to students. Reportedly, their child’s teacher described the three men as “visitors,” implying that the men were not school district employees. The complainant-parent further stated that, according to their child, the three men asked each student to take a bible, so the child took one “because everyone else did.”

“It is unconstitutionally coercive for a public elementary school to permit outside adults to enter classrooms during instructional time in order to distribute bibles to young students who, like our complainant’s child, will no doubt feel pressured to take a bible whether they want one or not,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to District Superintendent Shane Barnette.

FFRF’s letter received an emailed response from Barnette, emphasizing that he wished to apologize to the parent personally for the event that occurred. “I will follow up with my principals and make sure they follow the Constitution in matters such as this,” Barnette wrote.

Florida

FFRF reminded the Taylor County School District in Perry, Fla., that Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) clubs cannot be led by school staff members or the community’s religious leaders.

FFRF learned that Taylor County Middle School and Taylor County High School had a years-long pattern and practice of giving adult FCA representatives and local religious leaders inappropriate access to student-athletes as part of official athletics activities. Both the middle school and the high school appeared to have entangled their football programs with religion, specifically Christianity, in efforts to promote Christianity to students and possibly convert them.

FFRF learned of a meal on July 24, 2024, to the middle school team provided by Cavalry Baptist Church, along with an advertisement for services at the church being featured prominently on the meal boxes. Additionally, on July 30, 2024, Faith Baptist Church of Perry posted on Facebook that “Pastor Todd and Bro Josh” had been with what appeared to be the TCHS football team throughout the summer, and that “Pastor Todd gave them a good word on salvation, and encouraged them to find a good church, get locked in, be faithful, and serve God in and off the Field.” In the same post, a person could be seen leading the students in a public prayer in the team’s own locker room. Additionally, the post acknowledges the team’s coach “wanting the day to be closed out in prayer.”

“Students know that their coaches control their playing time and positions, directly affecting students’ opportunities for college scholarships and recruitment,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. “When coaches permit outside adults like FCA reps and pastors to promote religion to players, student-athletes will no doubt feel that agreeing with the religious viewpoints being promoted and participating in religious activities is essential to pleasing their coach and being viewed as a team player.”

After receiving FFRF’s letter, the district’s attorney, Angela M. Ball, reached out to FFRF to let it know that the district had taken action to affirm student-athletes’ right to be free from religious coercion. “In speaking with Superintendent Wentworth and discussing this matter with the school board, Mr. Wentworth has assured the board members that any religious activity which occurs on school property or in the district functions will be entirely student-led and voluntary,” Ball wrote.

Georgia

Teachers in the Whitfield County Schools system will not be promoting the explicitly religious See You At The Pole event through official district communication channels, thanks to FFRF’s advocacy.

A district parent reported that a fourth-grade teacher at New Hope Elementary shared a promotional flyer for SYATP via official school communications channels. FFRF learned that the teacher sent the promotional flyer to parents on the school’s “Remind App.” The flyer featured Latin crosses and stated: “Come out to the flagpole and PRAY with us!” FFRF understood that the teacher shared the flyer in her official capacity as a district employee in an effort to remind parents to send their children to the religious event.

“While students are free to participate in SYATP or similar religious events, the district and its teachers may not favor religion by promoting religious events and religious messages through its official communication channels,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote.

After receiving FFRF’s letter, the district sought guidance from legal representative Cory O. Kirby. Kirby confirmed that the district appreciated FFRF bringing the violation to their attention, as well as the action the district had taken in response. “The district has already communicated to all principals that this type of communication and advertisement is inappropriate and should not continue,” Kirby wrote. “District administration will meet with school building administration to reiterate the district’s prohibition against advocating for a particular religious event or theology.”

Indiana

FFRF’s work to keep public schools secular prevailed when the Franklin Community Schools Board of School Trustees stopped opening board meetings with explicitly religious prayers.

A community parent reported that the board was regularly opening meetings with prayer led by members of the board of trustees. FFRF learned of a prayer on March 10, where a board member prayed that the board’s decisions “reflect [God’s] will,” concluding “in Jesus’ name we pray.” Immediately following that prayer, the board recognized a number of students who were in attendance at the meeting to be celebrated by their school board. FFRF understood that recognitions immediately followed the prayer at every board meeting.

“Franklin students are asked to attend board meetings for a variety of reasons, including to receive recognition and awards from the board,” FFRF Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler wrote. “It is coercive, embarrassing and intimidating for nonreligious or minority faith citizens to be required to make a public showing of their nonbelief or differing beliefs (by not bowing their heads or praying) or else to display deference toward a religious sentiment in which they do not believe, but which their school board members clearly do.”

While FFRF never received an official written response to the complaints, FFRF kept in close contact with the complainants who originally brought the issue to light. Thankfully, the complainants who attended the August and October board meetings reported that the board no longer opened the meetings with prayer, and instead began with a moment of silence in August, and the Pledge of Allegiance in October.

Kentucky

After learning that a student received a bible from school staff, FFRF stepped up to inform the Clark County Public Schools system in Winchester, Ky., of its  constitutional duty to remain secular at all times.

A district parent informed FFRF that their child returned from Baker Intermediate School with a Gideon bible on May 22. Gideons International is “an evangelical association that equips and mobilizes Christian business professional men, along with their wives, to share God’s word.” The school’s assistant principal appeared to enter the student’s classroom to distribute the bibles on the last day of school.

“[T]his bible distribution needlessly marginalized all students and families who do not practice Christianity,” FFRF Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow Kyle J. Steinberg wrote. “Thirty-seven percent of the American population is non-Christian, including the almost 30 percent who is nonreligious.”

In response to FFRF’s concern, legal representative for the district Rebecca G. McCoy reached out to FFRF after ensuring that action had been taken. “After receiving your letter, this issue has been addressed with school administrators,” McCoy wrote. “The district is committed to ensure that school faculty will not be distributing bibles and other religious literature to students.”

Louisiana

The Livingston Parish Public Schools system in Louisiana shut down all school-related Fellowship of Christian Athletes activities after FFRF made sure the district was not crossing a constitutional line.

FFRF was informed that Seventh Ward Elementary School was sponsoring a chapter of the FCA. Posts from the school’s official Facebook page appeared in early March, celebrating the FCA club’s food donation collections. Since then, the FCA was seemingly continually school-sponsored and promoted by the school. A post from the same Facebook page on Sept. 1 listed an FCA meeting as part of the school’s weekly schedule.

“Religious clubs for students at elementary schools cannot genuinely be student-initiated and student-run, and as such are unconstitutional,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district.

After FFRF sent the letter, the district’s legal representative reached out to confirm that the superintendent received the letter and understood the violation at hand. “While the school’s FCA activities were not sponsored by or organized by any school employee, the principal understands the collection of laws and is in the process of shutting down the school’s related FCA activities,” Mark D. Boyer wrote.

Missouri

FFRF is pleased to learn that the Sarcoxie R-II School District in Missouri will not be sponsoring or promoting a day encouraging children to bring bibles to school.

FFRF learned that, on Sept. 25 and Oct. 1, the official district Facebook page promoted Bring Your Bible to School Day, telling students “Don’t forget!” the event. FFRF reminded the district that Bring Your Bible to School Day is an annual religious event created by the evangelical organization Focus on the Family, and by promoting the event, the district displayed blatant favoritism toward religion over nonreligion, and Christianity over all other faiths, by sponsoring, promoting and encouraging student participation in the event.

“The district serves a diverse population that consists of not only Christian students and families, but also atheists, agnostics and members of minority faiths,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. “When the district sponsors and promotes religious events, it sends an official message that excludes all nonreligious students, families and community members.”

FFRF’s letter was sent to the district after the event was promoted on the district’s official Facebook page. The district’s legal counsel, Gregory D. DeBeer, reported that the district heard FFRF’s complaint and listened. “While the event in question already occurred this year on Oct. 2, 2025, the district will not be holding any Bring Your Bible to School Days moving forward,” DeBeer wrote.

Ohio

FFRF made sure that the Anthony Wayne Board of Education in Ohio would not be using state time and resources to promote Christianity at board meetings and in emails.

Concerned community members reported that at the Sept. 15 board meeting, a board member prayed during his comments while other board members bowed their heads in response. Two board members, including the member who offered prayer at the Sept. 15 meeting, included religious references in their signature, such as referencing Jesus, Jesus’ death and a bible quote from Psalms 19:14.

FFRF worked with the district to ensure that school board members would no longer unconstitutionally promote their religious views through public communications.

“Here, the inclusion of Christian prayer led by a board member is . . . unconstitutional,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte Gude wrote to the district. “This is also true of the inclusion of religious references in the board [members’ signatures].”

The district worked to bring the board back in line with the First Amendment. FFRF learned from the original complainant that the board member who delivered the prayer at the meeting stated at the Oct. 13 board meeting that he intended to no longer pray at meetings. In further correspondence between FFRF and the district, Board President Kyle Miller confirmed that the violations occurring in board members’ email signatures were also being addressed. “With thoughtful discussion and guidance, the board has decided to move forward with the removal of all personal email signatures from official board communications,” he wrote.

Oklahoma

FFRF contacted the Poteau Public Schools system in Oklahoma after a parent reported their student was attending a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club without their knowledge or consent.

The parent reported that Pansy Kidd Middle School was permitting an FCA club to operate and recruit students in the morning during school drop-off hours. FFRF was told that adult church leaders and school employees were often in attendance, participating in, and leading the FCA club, including leading students in prayer and other religious activities. The parent explained that the FCA club was allegedly authorized to operate in the mornings before school started, but the middle school was instead allowing the club to meet during morning drop-off. FFRF was told that during that time, students could be dropped off and were under the school’s supervision while they waited for classes to start.

FFRF’s complainant stated that their child was attending FCA meetings without their knowledge. They did not find out that the school was permitting their child to attend these religious meetings until their child came home with a bible. When the parent contacted the school, the school allegedly stated that the school was not required to have students bring permission slips to attend FCA or notify parents about FCA meetings even though the school was allowing FCA to operate during morning drop-off, and allowing outside adults to lure, interact with, and distribute food and religious literature to students on school grounds.

“Pansy Kidd Middle School’s practice of giving the FCA preferential treatment and allowing the FCA’s religious representatives unique access to its students in order to promote Christianity signals clear unconstitutional favoritism for religion over nonreligion, and Christianity over all other faiths,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to Superintendent Scott Kempenich.

After receiving the letter, Kempenich emailed to confirm that action had been taken. “Pansy Kidd Middle School has worked with its attorneys regarding the issues you raised with us in July,” he wrote. “Among other adjustments, the school has made changes to ensure that any religious meetings held before school are led by students and that parental permission is obtained for participation.”

Oklahoma

The Marlow Public Schools system has been reminded that playing music with explicitly religious lyrics for students is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

FFRF received a report that on the morning of Aug. 22, Marlow Elementary School played the religious song “He Won’t Fail” by Maverick City Music in the schoolyard while students were arriving. The lyrics to the song are explicitly religious, including lines such as “Christ is my firm foundation,” and “That I put my faith in Jesus.” Reportedly, the school has a practice of playing music in the schoolyard on mornings, and religious music is at least sometimes included.

“If Marlow Elementary School would like to play music for students, there are a multitude of secular age-appropriate options to choose from,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote. “A public school and its staff should be eager to set an example of acceptance and inclusion.”

District Superintendent Corey Holland investigated the situation and informed FFRF of his findings. While he could not confirm that the specific song was played on the day in question, he said an employee might have included what a reasonable person would consider a religious song.

“In any case, I used the notification letter by FFRF as a reminder during a staff meeting with district principals to communicate to employees that they should always be mindful of any music playing as part of our school proceedings and what the employees may expose our students to in any given circumstance,” Holland wrote. Holland additionally shared that he took the step of going to the elementary school in question and sharing the directive to employees who do the daily welcoming of students at campus, who acknowledged understanding of the directive.