Good News Clubs Challenge Schools' Discriminatory Fees

Last week (May 12) Liberty Counsel announced that it had filed a law suit against a California school district on behalf of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF). CEF sponsors the Good News Clubs, after-school elementary school religious groups. The Chico Unified School District insisted that the Good News Clubs pay a fee to cover the direct costs of using school facilities after school hours, while not charging that fee to non-religious groups such as the scouts and the 4-H clubs. A report yesterday from Agape Press quotes CEF's attorney as saying that the school's discriminatory fee policy is unconstitutional. He describes as "absolutely ludicrous" the school board's position that it is required to charge a fee to religious groups in order to avoid promoting religion.