Texas school district backtracks, will let student share Bible verses during non-instructional time
Attorneys say case is a 'major win' for student rights
A Texas school district has reversed its decision to prohibit a fifth-grade student with special needs from sharing Bible verses with her classmates.
The case began last month in the Killeen Independent School District, in Killeen, located about 50 miles north of Austin, when the girl started sharing Bible verses printed on small, fortune cookie-sized slips of paper during recess, lunch and after school.
Attorneys with the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) say the girl’s principal and teacher confiscated the girl’s Bible verses after first allowing her to distribute them.
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The student, described as a devout Christian, had been sharing selections, including Genesis 1:27, which states, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” She also shared Revelation 12:5, which declares, “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’”
Additional Bible verses included Romans 12:2, which urges Christians “not to be conformed to this world,” and Psalm 112:7, which states, “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
On May 12, according to attorneys, Phylicia Miner, the principal at Cedar Valley Elementary, intervened, reprimanding the student and confiscating her Bible verse materials.
Three days later, on May 15, the principal contacted the student’s mother again and told her that the school district policy “prohibits all distribution of religious material on school property at any time,” according to the ACLJ.
In response, the ACLJ sent a demand letter to KISD on behalf of the student and her foster mother, citing the landmark 1969 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, which declared students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”
Additionally, the ACLJ referenced 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals precedents that uphold students’ rights to distribute religious materials during non-instructional time, provided such activities do not disrupt the school environment. Warning of imminent legal action, including a fully drafted lawsuit, the ACLJ set a firm deadline of May 22 for the district to address the issue.
On the final day of the deadline, the district relented, issuing a written response that affirmed the student’s constitutional right to share her Bible verses. “In response to your letter, I have personally spoken with the principal at Cedar Valley Elementary,” wrote Mike Harper, the district’s general counsel.
“I discussed with the principal that a student may distribute religious material during non-instructional time, when the distribution does not interfere with work in the classroom. ... The principal assured me that she understood and confirmed that [KISD] Board policy will be followed in the future,” Harper added.
CP reached out to Killeen ISD on Friday for a comment. This story will be updated if a response is received.
ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow celebrated what he called a “major win for religious liberty and student rights” in a statement, saying he believes “moving forward, the district is committed to upholding religious liberty in its schools.”
“This is not just a win for one student — it’s a victory for every student’s right to live out their faith,” said Sekulow. “We’re proud to have stood by her and grateful to see her rights affirmed.”
