by Jorge Gomez • 1 minute
Great news! We secured a victory for high school senior Sophia Shumaker.
Academy School District 20 in Colorado agreed to allow Sophia to repaint her parking space with a Bible verse and religious images. The school district will also update its guidelines so that all students can include religious messages on their parking spots.
“The First Amendment protects students’ private expressions of faith in public schools,” said Keisha Russell, Senior Counsel for First Liberty. “We are encouraged that the school district will now allow students like Sophia to update their decorated spaces with religious themes for the remainder of the year, and we hope that it will make such a policy permanent so future students can enjoy the same opportunities.”
Sophia attends Rampart High School in Colorado Springs. It’s part of the school’s tradition to let seniors pay a small fee to reserve and decorate their school parking space as it “builds school spirit, beautifies [the] campus, and creates lasting memories.”
Because Sophia loves to express her Christian faith through artwork, she requested to paint her paid parking space with a shepherd on a hill, a staff and a sheep, along with a Bible verse.
She was devastated when school officials denied her request. Sophia eventually asked to put only 1 Corinthians 13:4 on her space but was told it would likely not be approved.
First Liberty sent a demand letter to school officials last week, explaining that students don’t give up their First Amendment rights at school. What students display on their parking spots is their private speech. A student’s private religious expression is constitutionally protected even when it occurs on school property, meaning that Sophia has every right to express her faith.
It only took a week for the school to reverse course and do the right thing. Even better, school district officials agreed that Sophia could use her original design.
This win is incredibly meaningful for Sophia. She can put what happened behind her and focus on what’s ahead. With her religious freedom restored, she’s free to live out her faith and make the most of her senior year.
Thank you for supporting First Liberty. You share a special part in victories like this one, which make a huge difference in the lives of Americans.
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