Elementary School's Bible Club Gets Shut Down After Atheist Organization Complains

By Felix N. Codilla III, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, May 04, 2017

A before school Bible club has stopped its operations at an elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee after being subjected to controversy. The K-2 Bible Club has members in the first and second grade at Alturia Elementary School when an atheist organization took notice of it.

Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter calling the attention of Bartlett City Schools (BCS) to the Bible club which it claimed to be unconstitutional. It also called to investigate whether teachers and staff are participating in the club, which would violate the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of the Constitution.

FFRF was delighted by BCS' response of closing the club that it issued a statement. "This development is a victory not only for reason and the law but for the inviolable right of a captive audience of first and second-grade students to be free from indoctrination in a public school setting," the statement said.

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However, a married couple wasn't pleased with the development as their two daughters were looking forward to joining the club next year. They sought the assistance of the Center for Religious Expression (CRE). "The message they are sending these kids is there is something terribly wrong with you wanting to meet and discuss the Bible," said CRE attorney Nate Kellum.

He said students have the right to meet, considering that the club is elective and being held before class which the school does not require or endorse. On its constitutionality, Kellum said the Supreme Court had ruled "time and time again that equal access for religious groups does not violate the First Amendment, but discriminating against them surely does."

For its part, BCS defended its move saying that religious clubs at elementary schools have to be sponsored by an outside group which K-2 is not. Club members are now working to secure an outside sponsor to allow the club to operate in the 2017–18 school year, according to Local Memphis.