A federal judge found a Washington school district discriminated against a Bible program, leading to an apology, policy changes, and $275,000 in payments.
Story Highlights
- A federal court said the district burdened students’ religious expression and discriminated against a Bible program.
- Everett Public Schools agreed to post a public apology and pay $275,000 in attorney fees.
- The settlement requires policy changes and religious liberty training for the school board.
- Off-campus, release-time religious instruction remains lawful when parents consent, per Supreme Court precedent.
Court Findings Pointed To Viewpoint Discrimination
U.S. District Judge Lauren King issued a preliminary injunction in April 2026 stating Everett Public Schools engaged in viewpoint discrimination and burdened the plaintiffs’ religious expression, according to reporting on the order. The suit involved LifeWise Academy, which offers off-campus religious classes during school hours with parental permission. The court’s order focused on equal access. It said the district could not treat a religious program worse than similar secular options offering services to families.
Everett Public Schools had directed students returning from LifeWise to keep Bibles and class materials in sealed envelopes and set limits on distributing religious items on campus, according to the district’s own statement about the case. The court’s injunction suggested these steps burdened religious speech. The First Amendment protects private religious expression. Schools cannot muzzle a faith message while letting comparable nonreligious messages flow. That core point shaped the rest of the litigation and settlement.
Settlement Brings Apology, Payments, And New Training
In October 2026, the district settled with LifeWise and a parent-plaintiff. The agreement includes a public apology, updated policies, and $275,000 in attorney fee payments to the plaintiffs, as reported by local and national outlets. The settlement also requires religious liberty training for the elected school board, according to coverage of the deal. The district said settlement avoided more legal costs and clarified release-time rules. Officials did not admit wrongdoing in the agreement’s text.
For many families, the dollars and the apology matter. But the policy changes may matter more. They reduce barriers that singled out Bible instruction for harsher treatment. They also guide staff on what they can and cannot restrict. Clear rules cut down conflict for parents, students, and teachers. That is how constitutional rights should work day to day. When rules are evenhanded, students can carry their Bibles without fear while class time stays on track.
Why Released-Time Programs Are Lawful When Handled Evenhandedly
The Supreme Court drew a key line decades ago. It struck down in-school religious classes that used public facilities and teachers’ help. But it upheld off-campus religious instruction during school hours when parents consent and the school does not run the program. In Zorach v. Clauson, the Court approved New York City’s off-campus release-time plan and said government may accommodate faith without establishing it. That framework still guides districts nationwide today.
Washington school district must apologize and pay $275,000 after forcing Christian students to seal their Bibles in envelopes.
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Everett Public Schools settled a lawsuit brought by LifeWise Academy over an off-campus Bible education program that operates during release time… pic.twitter.com/AaP3gNuJmF— Blue Lives Matter (@bluelivesmtr) October 17, 2026
Everett’s settlement moves policy back to that lawful middle. Parents choose. Students leave campus. The district stays neutral. That is the balance our Constitution expects. Neutral rules protect liberty for everyone, not just one group. The judge’s findings and the settlement send a clear signal to other districts. Do not treat a religious viewpoint as second-class. Apply the same access and conduct rules to all community partners, faith-based or not.
What Parents And Districts Should Watch Next
Parents should expect clear, written steps for release-time requests, pickup and drop-off, and return to class. Districts should post neutral rules on distributing materials and on-campus speech. They should also train staff to apply rules the same way to church, club, or counselor. Everett’s apology and training plan show how to reset culture. When schools respect free speech and free exercise together, kids learn the lesson that rights are real and for all.
Sources:
lifesitenews.com, clevelandjewishnews.com, justthenews.com, pjmedia.com
