Religious Clubs and Organizations at School (Student Lead)

If other non-curricular groups meet before, during or after school, then religious groups are also able to meet under the same terms. This is possible under the “Equal Access Act” of 1984. The act requires that schools grant religious student groups official recognition with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by non-religious student groups. (Reference Number B-1. Copyright 2001 by The Rutherford Institute.)

There are three characteristics that a school must have in order for the Equal Access Act to apply:

1. The school must be a secondary school.

2. The school must receive federal funding.

3. The school must have created a “limited open forum.” (The school must have allowed other non-curricular groups to use the facilities.)

Furthermore, in Lamb’s Chapel the Supreme Court concluded that once a school district allowed community groups to use facilities during evenings and weekends, religious groups could not be excluded. Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School Dist., 508 U.S. 384 (1993). This decision provided the basis for the Supreme Court’s later decision in Good News Club which granted permission for religious activities and Bible study groups to meet on elementary school property immediately after school. Good News Club v. MilfordCentralSchool, 533 U.S. 98 (2001). Good News Club is important because it extends the rule from Lamb’s Chapel to 1] elementary schools and to 2] groups who wish to meet immediately after the conclusion of school.

If a student would like to start an after-school Bible club, he or she would have the same right to use the facilities as other non-curricular groups. It would be discrimination against a religious viewpoint to allow “secular” non-curricular groups to meet on campus before, after or during school hours, but not religious groups.

However, it may be that a school doesn’t allow any non-curricular groups to meet on campus before/after or during school hours. In this case students do not have the right to establish a religiously based organization at these times.

The content on this page has been reviewed by The Rutherford Institute.