North Carolina —
The Whiteville City Schools system in North Carolina took corrective action after FFRF discovered that school staff were using their roles to direct meetings of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
A community member informed FFRF that Whiteville High School’s FCA chapter was being led by multiple teachers at the school. Reportedly, these teachers were leading the meetings during school hours, during the school’s flex period, accompanied by outside community members and a youth pastor from Western Prong Baptist Church.
“Allowing religious clubs preferential access to school time to proselytize and recruit students for religious activities is a violation of the Establishment Clause,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district.
Thanks to FFRF’s work, action was taken and school employees have been removed from club organization roles. “I met with the staff members named in Ms. Gude’s letter along with the principal of the school,” wrote Jonathan B. Williams, the district’s superintendent. “I read them the main points of the letter and emphasized the contents of the final paragraph. They assured me that all meetings will be originated, organized and led by students without their influence or participation.”
