New York High School Faith-Based Club Has Happy Ending As School Officials Again Reverse Unconstitutional Ban

EAST SETAUKET, N.Y., Oct. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, attorneys from Liberty Institute and its volunteer attorneys at the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery convinced school officials at Ward Melville High School for a second time in less than a year to end its unlawful practice of keeping student religious clubs off campus. Only days after attorneys challenged school officials wrongful rejection in a demand letter, school officials averted a federal lawsuit by following the laws that have been on the books since 1984 that guarantee the right of student religious groups – like Students United in Faith (SUIF) – to meet on campus.

 "We are hoping that the school doesn't make this an annual tradition of violating the Equal Access Act," commented Hiram Sasser, Liberty Institute's Director of Strategic Litigation. "Congress can pass laws and the courts can issue opinions, but if great Americans like John Raney and Jeremy Johnson don't take a bold stand for freedom, we will all lose our liberty." 

Todd Harrison, partner at the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery and volunteer attorney with Liberty Institute, served as lead counsel and led the effort in obtaining a successful resolution of this matter.

"I am very happy that the decision has been reversed," said John Raney, Ward Melville student leader and founder of SUIF. "The publicity surrounding my school's decision to deny our club access to campus has had the happy consequence of helping students hear about our club who otherwise would not have heard and they have begun to support the club in even greater numbers.  I am thrilled that my fellow club members and I can resume doing good for our community."

In December of 2013, Ward Melville High School reversed its decision to ban the faith-based club after receiving a demand letter from Liberty Institute and law firm McDermott Will & Emery outlining the illegality of its decision.  However, once again this year, as SUIF came up for renewal, Ward Melville officials denied SUIF's request to be recognized as a club on campus.

To view an online copy of the school district's response letter and the original demand letter to school officials, follow this link to the bottom of the press release page: https://libertyinstitute.org/suif?

About Liberty Institute

Liberty Institute is a national nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches, inside our military and throughout the public arena. Liberty's vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our Founding Fathers. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

About McDermott Will & Emery

McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,100 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.

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SOURCE Liberty Institute