2001 Supreme Court Ruling

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
Good News Club v. Milford Central School District
June 11, 2001

It is legal to allow Good News Club® to meet in school facilities.

On June 11, 2001, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that Child Evangelism Fellowship® could have access to public school facilities to conduct Good News Clubs. The decision stated that Bible clubs such as the Good News Club must be given the same access to school facilities accorded any other non-school-related outside group.

In Good News Club v. Milford Central School District, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a public school which allows use of its facilities to secular groups may not discriminate against religious groups. The Good News Club case involved an adult-initiated and adult-led after-school religious club sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship.

The landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in June 2001 confirms equal access to public schools.  In the decision the Court ruled:

• Free speech rights had been violated because of our religious viewpoint.
• Restrictions must not discriminate against speech based on viewpoint.
• Permitting Good News Club to meet on school premises does not violate the Establishment clause.
• The danger that children would believe the school to be endorsing religion is no greater than the danger that they would perceive hostility towards religion if the club were excluded from this public forum.

See pages 98 – 145 of this document from the Supreme Court of the United States 

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/boundvolumes/533bv.pdf

You can listen to the case argued before the Supreme Court @ http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2000/2000_99_2036

In 2018 almost 164,000 school children attended an after-school Good News Club conducted in over 4,500 public schools.