Written by Don Byrd
A teacher has filed suit against a Colorado school district alleging extensive religious liberty violations involving a local congregation at the district’s high school. The Cowboy Church at Crossroads holds Sunday services in the school’s cafeteria and, according to the complaint, hosts numerous religious events at the school in an effort to “get church back into school.”
The suit alleges the church hosts daily prayer for students around the flag pole, a weekly pizza lunch for prayer and preaching, Bible distribution to students and staff, and other religious activities on and off campus.
The complaint (pdf) asks the court to declare unlawful and enjoin the school district from:
i) sponsoring Christian prayer; ii) sponsoring and housing the Cowboy Church at Crossroads; iii) distributing bibles to students; iv) proselyting to and presenting scripture to students and staff; v) hosting school events at Christian locations; and vi) hosting evangelical Christian groups;
Perhaps most troubling, the plaintiff, who is Jewish, describes being ostracized and then transferred to another school after discussing his concerns with the principal and school district officials. The School District has not yet responded to the complaint. Stay tuned.
