Mercer Martin, an attorney at Alliance Defending Freedom, told AFN the religious law firm is representing the Sweet Onion Christian Learning Center in a lawsuit challenging the Vidalia City School District.
The school district, in Toombs County, Georgia, serves approximately 2,400 K-12 students.
The learning center legally operates as a ministry to high school students by participating in a “release-time” program for off-site Bible learning.
ADF alleges that long-term relationship, which spans more than a decade, was suddenly cancelled after the ministry’s executive director. Rev. Gady Youmans, criticized a proposed tax increase in a Facebook post. That punishment can be traced back to the school district’s superintendent, who was unhappy with the online comment, ADF says.
“We brought this suit because they violated the Constitution when they punished the Sweet Onion Christian Learning Center,” Martin said.
The case is filed in the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Georgia Statesboro Division.
After AFR reached out to the school district for comment, it was told in a statement the district will “provide its response, and any supporting information, through the appropriate legal process.”
Meanwhile, ADF says it has legal precedent on its side after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Chiles v Salazar. That decision, an 8-1 ruling in March, was a free speech case from Colorado.
The Georgia case is related, ADF says, because Youmans was told the Bible version he uses was an issue of concern for the school board.
"And so, in order for him to comply, he would have to speak in accordance with their demands," the ADF attorney argued.
