North Carolina School Rejects Club For Non-Religious Students
It’s fine to have all the religious clubs you want, but Pisgah High School in Waynesville, North Carolina gave a hard time to students who wanted a non-religious club.
Four months ago a student at Pisgah approached the administration about forming a group for non-religious students. Assistant Principal Connie Weeks told the student that she needed to “look into” the feasibility of forming such a group. In a subsequent meeting, Weeks told the student that such a group wouldn’t “fit in” with the school’s current roster of extra-curricular clubs.
Besides, Weeks said, she couldn’t find a faculty sponsor for the club. At all subsequent meetings with the student, school officials refused to discuss the issue any further.
SSA reported that under the Equal Access Act, schools must appoint a faculty member to sponsor such a club if one was not immediately available. The student contacted SSA, who in turn contacted the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Cash Wilson, the father of the student attempting to start the group, said, “As both a parent and secular activist, I am inspired by the tenacity of these teenagers who didn’t cower in their corners but instead contacted their friends and advocates at the SSA. A secular club is a welcome addition to any school, but especially a school here in the zealous mountains of North Carolina. It will help secular students will no longer feel alone and ostracized. My full respect and admiration to the student activists, the fine folks at SSA, the FFRF legal team, and the North Carolina ACLU.”
Still, however, no club.
