Worship Songs at School Talent Show

Two Christian students at West Ward Elementary School in Allegan, Michigan, love to express their faith in God through worship songs.  For an upcoming school talent show, one student wanted to sing “That’s Who I Praise,” by popular Christian artist Brandon Lake. Lake recently appeared on the American Idol’s Songs of Faith special. The other student wanted to sing “Up and Up” by Christian artist Colton Dixon. But after the songs were submitted to the school prior to the audition, a school official told the students’ mother that the Lake song was too “Christian based.”

According to the parents, the song was singled out for review because of its religious content. The school did not review songs submitted by other students. The principal told the parents the song had “very clear language about worshipping God,” and that if he made it to the talent show, the student would need to change his song or lyrics. Another school official confronted the other student about her song choice—also faith-based—and explained that the issue is that “not everyone believes in God.”

First Liberty Institute sent a letter to school officials explaining the legal guidelines and urging them to allow the two elementary school students to sing the songs they chose at the school talent show.

“It would be cruel for a school to censor elementary students from singing popular songs just because they are religious,” said Kayla Toney, Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “As the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized, students do not lose their First Amendment rights when they walk through the schoolhouse gates. School officials need to comply with the law and stop censoring students’ religious expression.”

The day after the letter was sent and the school received calls from the media, the school reversed course and agreed to allow the students to audition and perform the Christian songs. In a statement from Allegan Public Schools, officials said “that school staff were unfamiliar with the legal guidelines concerning religious expression in a public school setting.” The district apologized for “any confusion or frustration,” and stated that “students are permitted to perform songs of their choice, including those with religious content . . . at school events like talent shows.”

“We are grateful for the school’s prompt attention to our letter and their recognition that the law is very clearly on the side of the students,” said Kayla Toney, Counsel for First Liberty. “Our clients look forward to singing their faith-based songs, as practiced and planned, at the talent show in late May.”

Colton Dixon, who wrote one of the songs to be performed, posted a response on Instagram encouraging the students for standing for their beliefs and thanked First Liberty for supporting their legal rights.