The Good News Club is suing an Illinois school district, accusing it of discrimination. Good News Clubs, chartered by the Christian Evangelism Foundation (CEF), are voluntary after school programs where participants are taught about the Bible and participate in Bible-based activities. The Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that Good News Clubs could meet in public schools after hours and function the same as other community activities. However, CEF is alleging that the Moline-Coal Valley School District had unlawfully restricted its club.

A lawsuit filed by CEF alleges that the district has categorized the program as a “Category II” church-affiliated group since 2020. Due to this designation, CEF is required to pay facility use fees to use the school for its clubs. It is also prohibited from sending flyers home from students or from participating in “backpack nights” where Category 1 programs like Girl Scouts can participate and use the space for meetings without fees. CEF alleges that it was able to freely operate at the school from 2017 to 2020 when the new restrictions were suddenly imposed. It also stated that Superintendent Dr. Rachel Savage had ignored any legal documentation regarding the club’s rights. CEF is being represented by Liberty Counsel, which states it has taken on 400 cases regarding Good News Clubs and has never lost a case.

“The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints regarding use of school facilities,” said Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver. “The Moline-Coal Valley Community Unified School District must give the Good News Clubs equal access as the similarly situated non-religious groups on public school campuses. Child Evangelism Fellowship gives children a biblically based education that includes moral and character development. Good News Clubs should be in every public elementary school and that includes these Moline schools.”

In 2022, the district had faced criticism for allowing After School Satan Clubs (ASSC), sponsored by The Satanic Temple, for operating at an elementary school. After some parents expressed concern, the district defended its decision to allow the group, citing the Good News Club as an example. “The Moline-Coal Valley School District and Board of Education have policies and administrative procedures in place which allow for community use of its publicly funded facilities outside the school day,” it said at the time, adding that it did not discriminate against religious organization. “Religiously affiliated groups are among those allowed to rent our facilities for a fee. The district has, in the past, approved these types of groups, one example being the Good News Club, which is an after-school child evangelism fellowship group. Flyers and promotional materials for these types of groups are approved for lobby posting or display only, and not for mass distribution.” The district briefly rescinded the group’s permission to operate at the school in 2023 before granting authorization back in 2024 to avoid litigation. Currently, the district has not responded to CEF’s legal action, stating it had “received no formal notification of any litigation regarding this matter.”