A Minnesota school district dropped its fee requirement for a student Bible study after being accused of violating a ninth-grader’s First Amendment rights.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) contends the Holdingford Public School District — located roughly 80 miles northwest of the Twin Cities — “quickly reversed course” after receiving the ACLJ’s demand letter outlining “clear violations of the Equal Access Act and the First Amendment.”
According to the ACLJ, Holdingford’s superintendent confirmed that Emma, the student at the center of the dispute, may now hold meetings “freely” and that See You at the Pole prayer gatherings are permitted “without charge.”
ACLJ calls case ‘clear discrimination’
The conflict began earlier this year when Emma, a Holdingford High School ninth-grader, sought permission to start a Bible study club. Instead of equal treatment, the ACLJ said she “was met with hostility and unconstitutional restrictions.”
“The principal delayed her ability to meet, blocked her from hosting a See You at the Pole prayer gathering, a constitutional violation, and told her she would have to pay a fee per meeting to use the school library, yet another violation,” the ACLJ stated.
The group argued that while Emma’s club was required to pay, other student groups — including the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and 4-H — were not. The school allegedly classified Emma’s club as a “church” rather than a student group, a move ACLJ described as “discriminatory” and unconstitutional.
The ACLJ cited the Equal Access Act, a federal law ensuring that religious student groups have the same rights as secular ones.
“If a State refused to let religious groups use facilities open to others, then it would demonstrate not neutrality but hostility toward religion,” the Supreme Court said in Westside Board of Education v. Mergens, a case argued by ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow.
The organization also invoked Tinker v. Des Moines, noting that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”
‘Pay to pray’
ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow described the district’s initial actions as “essentially a policy of ‘Pay to Pray,’” calling it a “clear case of discrimination.”
The organization sent a demand letter requiring Holdingford officials to “immediately stop their unlawful discrimination” and warned it was “prepared to go to court” if the district did not comply.
The district eventually reclassified Emma’s club to match other student groups and confirmed she may meet and hold prayer events without fees.
“This swift reversal is yet another ACLJ victory protecting students of faith and ensuring that Christian expression is treated equally under the law,” the group said.
School district responds
Holdingford Superintendent Chris Swenson asserted that the decision to reclassify the Bible study was based on new information about the group’s participants, not the ACLJ’s demand letter.
Swenson told Alpha News that the district initially believed the club might include students from other schools.
“That’s what we were told — the group was hoping to involve students from other districts,” he explained. “Then once we had further conversations about it and received clarification that it would be just our students, it was then assigned just like any other student groups, including our other religious groups.”
When asked if the ACLJ’s demand letter influenced the district’s actions, Swenson downplayed its role.
“The ACLJ’s letter had some what I would consider inaccuracies … and once we were able to have conversations about that and get clarification, I think it was handled pretty quickly.”
Swenson said he took issue with how the district was portrayed by the ACLJ.
“I think what was unfortunate is that article misrepresented what we do here as a district,” he said. “For example, when they say we didn’t allow the See You at the Pole event — we have that every single year. It was portrayed as we’re not allowing these events, which we do every single year. That was frustrating.”
He said Holdingford Public Schools “understands and is very understanding” of students’ rights.
“We are open to the students’ freedom of speech and rights on that,” Swenson said. “It was a frustrating time, but I think in the end we got it all figured out.”
Swenson added that protecting the student organizing the Bible study was a top concern.
“That was probably one of my biggest concerns,” he said. “Yes, I had some frustration with the article and how it represented the district, but in no way did I want that to come back on the young student. I don’t think it was the student’s fault … her request was fine and well within her rights. Once we got the information figured out, I think we’re fine.”
He confirmed the Bible study has since been approved and scheduled.
“I believe she’s been in contact with the community ed director who scheduled these, and I think they have a room established,” Swenson said. “I don’t remember the exact date, but I think it’s all been taken care of.”
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
