News Release
For Immediate Release: 4.27.26
Contact: Natalie Konstans, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Federal Court Enjoins Washington School’s Hostility, Unfair Treatment Toward Release Time Bible Program
Court determines hostility toward religion motivated school board’s unfair treatment and discriminatory regulations against religious instruction program.
Everett, WA—The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington on Friday issued a preliminary injunction against the Everett, Washington school district, halting discriminatory regulations targeted towards LifeWise, a nonprofit that provides Bible education to public school students during school hours under released time religious instruction laws. First Liberty Institute and the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP asked for the injunction on behalf of LifeWise, in part, due to hostile remarks made by school officials that singled out LifeWise for discrimination.
You can read the decision here.
“Targeting the operation of an out-of-school program just because it’s religious is a direct violation of the First Amendment,” said Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute. “We are grateful that the court has put a halt to the open and intentional acts of discrimination toward LifeWise by the Everett School District.” Joel Penton, CEO of LifeWise Academy said, “Religious release time programs such as LifeWise should be accessible to all families on a consistent basis. This program exists because parents in Everett and across the country are asking for it. Families see the positive impact that Bible-based character education during school hours can have on student behavior and academic performance. We simply want to protect a program that is already serving dozens of local families and ensure that parental freedom is respected.”
“Anti-religious sentiment by government officials—particularly when coupled with the adoption of facially discriminatory policies—has no place in a free society,” said Barbara Smith Tyson, counsel for LifeWise and partner at the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP. “The court held what the law requires: Everett School District may not subject LifeWise to uniquely harmful treatment simply because it is religious. Elementary school children, like all Americans, enjoy the right to receive religious instruction without fear or favor.”
After LifeWise sent a letter to the School Board in November urging them to address the unconstitutional policies, Board Member Charles Adkins spoke publicly in response, saying, “First off, I would like to address the claim about whether my comments are motivated by animus toward LifeWise Academy. I want to make it very, extremely, abundantly clear, that yes, I do in fact hold animus toward LifeWise Academy. . . . It is an organization of homophobic bullies who are active and willing participants in the efforts to bring about an authoritarian theocracy. . . .”
Despite strong parental support, the Everett School District singled-out LifeWise for onerous regulation and made hostile remarks about it. Adkins falsely and offensively alleged that the mission of LifeWise is “to bring white supremacy and Christian nationalism to our schools” and to “snuff out the cultures, religion, and language of native kids and other kids of color.” Mr. Adkins’s histrionics continued with the malicious accusation that LifeWise is engaged in an “effort to turn our nation into a fascist theocracy.” Saying the quiet part out loud, he made his intentions clear: On these bases, Mr. Adkins declared that LifeWise “cannot be allowed to have access to our kids.”
Community members echoed Adkins’ comments, likening LifeWise to the Nazi party. In its decision, the court found it significant that neither school board members, nor district leadership did anything to distance the district from such comments but, instead, affirmed them with comments like, “We do appreciate you coming back and you are being heard. So, thank you. It might not look like it, but you are.”
The school board adopted regulations prohibiting LifeWise from participating in community events and displaying its flyers, requiring LifeWise students to conceal any written materials they receive from LifeWise in a sealed envelope in their backpacks, and requiring LifeWise parents to follow a needlessly complicated and burdensome permission-slip policy, namely, weekly reauthorization for students to participate in LifeWise. No other school program requires similar burdensome regulations.
According to the decision, “[t]he proximity in timing” between the hostile Board Member comments and the change in policy to target LifeWise, “supports a finding that the new permission slip policy arose from school board animus toward LifeWise.” The Court thus concluded that the new policies were not neutral or generally applicable. The Court also finds that the District burdened Plaintiffs’ religious expression.
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact Natalie Konstans at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
