Hawaii must allow Good News Club at every public school, court rules

December 5, 2024

A court has ruled that the Christian youth organization Good News Club has a right to hold meetings on every public school campus in Hawaii.

The Christian Post reports that the Christian conservative legal center Liberty Counsel has announced that it secured a statewide injunction last month that allows the club the same access to public school facilities as any other group.

Liberty Counsel filed a lawsuit in January after four school districts in Hawaii were accused of violating the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by preventing the Good News Club from meeting on public school campuses.

A preliminary injunction was obtained five months later, ruling that the Hawaii Department of Education and the six school districts named in the lawsuit must allow the Good News Club to meet at school facilities just like comparable secular organizations.

A much broader permanent injunction was granted on Nov. 19 which clarified that the Good News Club has the right to meet at any public school campus in the state.

Acting Child Evangelism Fellowship Vice President of Administration Fred Pry, in a statement to the Christian Post said, “This is a welcomed win not only for CEF Hawaii but for all Christian groups in the public square. The Constitution is crystal clear that the government cannot discriminate on the basis of religion or free speech.”

Meanwhile, Liberty Counsel says it is “preparing another lawsuit against a school district in California,” stating, “In that district, every view is welcome — except for the Christian club.” 

The law firm said, “Liberty Counsel has never lost a Good News Club case.”  

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