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"Classical" Charter School Sues Challenging Ban On Use of Religious Texts

By Howard M. Friedman

Yesterday, an Idaho charter school filed a federal lawsuit against members of the Idaho Public Charter School Commission and other state officials, challenging a Commission order banning the use of the Bible or any other religious documents or texts in public charter school classrooms. Plaintiff, the Nampa Classical Academy, had developed its entire curriculum in a classical, liberal arts format, using primary texts-- secular and religious-- as a method of educating its students. The complaint (full text) in Nampa Classical Academy v. Goesling, (D ID, filed 9/1/2009), alleges that a majority of the planned texts are secular. It says that the Academy, which is about to open for its first year of operations, has no intent to use religious texts in devotional manner, and will not be teaching religious tenets. Religious materials, like secular documents, will be used to study western civilization in classes such as history, literature, art or music. The complaint sets out five causes of action: procedural due process, free speech, establishment clause and equal protection clause violations, as well as violations of the state statute setting out procedures for issuing a notice of defect to charter schools. Alliance Defense Fund announced the filing of the lawsuit. (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on September 02, 2009 (boomark / email).