Federal Judge Orders California School District to Allow Good News Club on Campus

A federal judge issued a permanent order in May 2026 requiring one of California's largest school districts to allow the Christian Good News Club to hold meetings on school property. The ruling ends a legal battle that began in 2025 when the district denied the club access to campus facilities available to other student groups.

The Good News Club, run by Child Evangelism Fellowship, offers Bible lessons and Christian activities for children in elementary schools. The organization has fought similar battles in school districts across the country, often citing the Equal Access Act and First Amendment protections.

The court found that the school district had engaged in viewpoint discrimination by allowing secular after-school programs while blocking the religious club. The judge's permanent injunction bars the district from denying the club equal access going forward.

Child Evangelism Fellowship called the ruling a clear victory for religious freedom. "Public schools cannot treat religious speech as second-class speech," said a spokesperson for the organization.

The school district had argued that allowing a religious club on campus could be seen as government endorsement of religion. The court rejected that argument, citing decades of Supreme Court precedent on equal access for religious groups.

The case drew attention from religious liberty organizations nationwide, who say similar disputes are increasing as school districts face pressure from both sides of the debate over religion in public schools.