School district must reinstate Christian program cut after leader criticized school board, court rules

August 4, 2026

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia has ruled that a Georgia school district must reinstate a religious released-time program for public school students while a lawsuit is litigated.

The Christian Post reports that the Alliance Defending Freedom announced last Friday that the court had ruled Vidalia City Schools must reinstate The Sweet Onion Christian Learning Center while the litigation continues.

The center and its director, Gady Youmans, sued Vidalia City Schools in May, alleging that the program was cut because of a Facebook post by Youmans criticizing a proposed tax increase in the school district.

According to the Christian Post, Youmans took to Facebook to criticize a proposed tax increase, commenting that school board members “don’t need more money” and claiming that “The [Board of Education] office keeps hiring admins we don’t need with near $100,000 salaries.”

Vidalia City Schools Superintendent Sandy Reid reportedly told Youmans that the school district would discontinue the released-time program effective next school year.

The lawsuit says, “Under the First Amendment, Rev. Youmans had a clearly established right both to criticize a proposed tax increase and to teach the Bible from his religious perspective. By punishing him and his ministry for his criticism and religious instruction, the Board and Superintendent Reid violated that right.”

ADF Legal Counsel Mercer Martin, who argued the case on Youmans’ behalf, said in a statement, “Vidalia City Schools can’t punish Rev. Youmans — or his ministry providing high school students with free religious education — for simply sharing his opinion of a proposed tax hike. We’re pleased the court has reinstated Sweet Onion’s released-time program and restored Rev. Youmans’ constitutionally protected freedoms while his lawsuit proceeds.”

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