Christian athletes in the San Jose, California, school district will now be able to associate with each other in official clubs, thanks to a recent ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  

The court sided with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in a case that began in 2019 when San Jose Unified School District barred FCA from campus. The reason? The club required its leaders to hold Christian values, and the school district claimed that such conduct discriminated against students that did not hold such beliefs. 

In her majority opinion siding with FCA, Judge Consuelo Callahan cited the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. 

“The government may not treat … comparable secular activity more favorably than religious exercise,” she wrote. 

Further, William C. Duncan, Sutherland’s constitutional law and religious freedom fellow, believes the Equal Access Act of 1984 directly applies and should protect groups like FCA. 

What is the Equal Access Act? 

The Equal Access Act of 1984 bars schools that receive government funding from prohibiting clubs of religious, political, or other speech-related nature. 

This act protects the ability of student clubs to form and operate according to their beliefs, without discrimination. 

Why is this case noteworthy? 

While this case is important because of its impact on the constitutionally protected right of religious association, there is another factor at play that’s become much more prominent in recent years. At a time when teenage loneliness and mental health is at historic lows, barring students from gathering in like-minded communities that foster personal and positive development can be damaging. 

In a May 2023 Insights article, Duncan profiled the positive impact that religion and faith can have on mental health. “That reality is important amid growing concerns about individual well-being, particularly of youth,” Duncan wrote, “that seem to have been exacerbated by pandemic measures and the resulting feelings of isolation experienced by many.” 

Duncan said that schools should give students the choice to become involved in groups that – like religiously affiliated clubs – can provide positive and healthy associations, rather than stripping them of the option altogether. 

Public schools should provide the opportunity for students to form associations in line with their unique interests and talents, without prejudice. By allowing students of a Christian background to form a community like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, schools can both respect religious freedom and help provide an antidote to the growing rates of loneliness in our society. 

For a more in-depth perspective on this article, read our Insights piece here.