Contact: Melody Bentley, 571-274-6058

MEDIA ADVISORY, July 28, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that upholds the right of Good News Clubs to meet in public school buildings after school hours. These Christian clubs are for elementary-age children and are sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship, the largest Christian ministry for children in the world. Since the ruling by the Supreme Court, the number of GNCs around the country has substantially increased. On June 11, 2001, the day the ruling was handed down, there were 1,155 GNCs in the United States. Today, there are over 3,500 clubs serving over 145,000 children around the country. Certainly, the easy access to the clubs the ruling affords contributes to this high number: by being in the public schools the clubs meet where the children already are. But once established, the popularity of the clubs is due to the demand by parents, who must give their permission for their children to attend. The remarks by this parent of Chicago, Illinois, are typical: "I want you to know that we are not a Bible family. I mean, we don't do Bible in our house, and we don't go to church. My son found out about your Good News Club from a friend and then asked me if he could join, and since I didn't think it could hurt him any, I said yes. Well, every Thursday after club he comes home so excited and then tells us all about what he learned. In fact, we are starting to name him our little 'Bible Man' since he is teaching the Bible to us. We kind of like it."

The number of children benefiting from these clubs would not be so remarkable were it not for the perseverance and determination of Pastor Stephen Fournier and his wife, Darlene, of Milford, New York. In 1996, the Milford Community School first denied the Fournier's request for some of the school's students to ride the bus after school to a GNC, and then denied their request for the club to meet at the school after hours. In 1997, the Fourniers lost their suit to meet at the school in the Northern District Court of New York but subsequently appealed its decision all the way to the Supreme Court. In Good News Club et al. v. Milford Central School, the Court ruled that the Milford School had engaged in viewpoint discrimination, thereby violating the free speech rights of the Good News Club. According to the Court, "there is no logical difference in kind between the invocation of Christianity by the Club and the invocation of teamwork, loyalty, or patriotism by other associations to provide the foundation for their lessons."

The Court also stated that the club's meeting in the school would not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits any law "respecting the establishment of religion." According to the Court's decision, the school district was not endorsing, nor could it realistically be perceived to endorse religion, because the club was to meet after school hours, was not sponsored by the school, and was not open to the public. Concerning the Milford School contention that the students "would feel coercive pressure" to participate in the club, the Court found this argument groundless, because the club required parental permission for the children to attend. The parents would decide whether their children would attend, not the children themselves, and a reasonable adult would not "feel such coercive pressure." It is significant that the Court concluded that permitting the Club "to speak on school ground would ensure, not threaten, neutrality toward religion."

According to Mr. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of religious freedom, since the Supreme Court ruling in 2001, there have been about 25 court cases involving discrimination against Good News Clubs. In some cases, GNCs have been denied equal access to a school building at the same time as other clubs. Sometimes GNCs have been charged higher fees than other clubs or have been denied the same manner of notification to students. In one case, Ms. Barbara Wigg, a school teacher in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was told by her school district that she could not serve as a GNC leader at a club meeting after hours at any school in the school district. In Wigg v. Sioux Falls, Ms. Wigg won her case on appeal.

Through the years, the number of court cases involving discrimination against GNCs has steadily decreased as the Supreme Court ruling has become more well-known, said Mr. Staver. Still, there are challenges each week that are resolved without litigation. Few of these challenges bear the marks of overt hostility towards religion. According to Mr. Staver, most cases are the result of misinformation about the First Amendment and are usually resolved without litigation. When litigation has been necessary, Liberty Counsel has won every case.

Perhaps the reputation of the clubs themselves is contributing most to their acceptance. The positive impact these clubs have on children has impressed principals across the country. Many have remarked that the club's emphasis on character building translates into better behavior during school and improved academic performance. According to Ms. Sulma Grigalunas, principal of Friedrich Jahn World Language School in Chicago, Illinois, the Good News Club is "the best attended after school activity that we have." She commented further that "The students are learning good moral behavior in a fun-filled atmosphere. This has translated into a more positive atmosphere in the school among the students."