by Jorge Gomez • 3 minutes
During this week’s Religious Liberty Commission hearing, President Donald Trump praised First Liberty clients for showing courage and standing up for their religious beliefs in school.
The President introduced our client Hannah Allen of Honey Grove, Texas, recounting a violation of religious liberty in which school officials told Hannah she could not pray with her classmates and would have to “move behind a curtain or meet alone outside.”
“A few years ago, Hannah organized a group of her classmates to pray for an injured peer,” Trump said. “The school principal declared that Hannah’s generous act of love was prohibited from taking place in front of the other students.”
“But Hannah very strongly stood her ground, and she won,” the President continued. “And Hannah, I just want to thank you for letting the light of your faith shine for all to see.”
First Liberty successfully fought for Hannah and her right to pray with friends during lunch. After winning back her right to pray, Hannah had an opportunity to share her story at the White House during the first Trump administration.
“There was a sacrifice for standing up for these rights,” Hannah shared with the Commission. “I felt like an outcast in my own school and my community. People that I had known my entire life said some very hurtful things.”
“My mom asked me if I wanted to move schools because of the backlash. I thought about it for a while but then I realized that with God, I was strong enough to face these people.”
“I shared my story because what happened at my school wasn’t right, and I know that it is going on in other schools as well,” Hannah continued. “The only thing that mattered to me was the protection of students’ rights. God gave me a voice for those who didn’t have one. I’m honored to be that voice.”
First Liberty’s CEO Kelly Shackelford, on the panel of Commissioners, asked Hannah what she’s been up to since finishing school. Hannah shared that she joined the military and has been serving our country for the past two years.
President Trump also invited 12-year old Shea Encinas from southern California to share his story. When Shea was in fifth grade at La Costa Heights Elementary School, the school forced him to read the book My Shadow is Pink with his kindergarten buddy—a book about radical transgender ideology that conflicted with his deeply held religious beliefs.
First Liberty is representing Shea and his parents, Carlos and Jenny Encinas. We are fighting their case in federal court to make sure they, and all parents, can raise their children consistent with their religious beliefs.
“I knew this was not right, but I was afraid of getting in trouble,” Shea bravely told the Commission. “After my family spoke up, the school treated us badly and kids started bullying me and my brother because of our faith.”
“I believe kids like me should be able to live our faith at school without being forced to go against what we believe. I hope no other family has to go through what mine did,” Shea added.
“How could this school and these people treat our family like this?” Jenny told the Commission. “Why was the school spreading lies and promoting the bullying of my nine- and 11-year-old sons over their religious beliefs? Instead of defending them, they were acting with such hate towards them.”
“Our hope is that sharing our story today will preserve the rights of parents to direct their children’s moral and religious upbringing, especially on sensitive topics like sex and gender,” Jenny concluded.
“Shea, that’s a very impressive display of courage,” said Dr. Ben Carson, Vice Chair of the Commission.
“Shea, I just want to single you out if I can,” said Commissioner Allyson Ho. “We talk a lot about courage, what that means and what that looks like. You and your mom—and everyone on this panel that we’ve heard today—are courageous.”
“You are standing. You are taking the heat. You are taking the arrows so that no one else has to go through this,” she added.
The Commission also heard testimony from our client Valerie Cleveringa, an elementary student from Michigan. She described how she and her brother were told they couldn’t sing songs by Christian artists Brandon Lake and Colton Dixon for their school talent show because they were too religious.
“Both my brother and I were upset. The song Up and Up is one of my favorites because when I’m down or things are hard, I know that I can always go to God through prayer,” Valerie shared. “For my brother, That’s Who I Praise speaks to him because it talks about heroes in the Bible and reflects that God always has our back.”
First Liberty stepped in to represent Valerie and her brother. Our attorneys sent a letter and in less than 24 hours the school reversed course. The two young students went on to perform their songs without a problem or any censorship.
“Both my parents told us, no matter what, we don’t back down from our faith. No one should be able to tell us how we can or cannot express our faith,” Valerie added.
“What I take away from all of this is not only that we were able to perform our favorite Christian songs, but that we were also showing others how to stand up for their faith.”
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