Teacher accuses school district of promoting, favoring Christianity in lawsuit

A lawsuit filed by a teacher against Fremont School District RE-2 alleges that evangelical Christianity is being promoted and shown favoritism at Florence High School.

The suit was filed by teacher Robert Basevitz and claims that the school “operates largely to promote the evangelical ideals of The Cowboy Church at Crossroads.”

The church, led by Pastor Randy Pfaff, meets in the school cafeteria on Sundays and is advertised with two signs hanging outside of the school.

The suit says that Pfaff has said that the mission work of the church is a group at the high school called The Fellowship of Christian Huskies. The lawsuit says the fellowship sometimes claims to be student led, but that it’s really a front for Pfaff to preach to students and staff.

The lawsuit says fellowship sponsors include five school staff members and Principal Brian Schipper.

The suit refers to a daily morning prayer at the school as the “cornerstone of Pastor Pfaff and the church’s mission work.” It says staff sometimes participate in the prayer group and that the group sometimes grows so large that it blocks access to the school’s front entrance.

The lawsuit says Pfaff and the church routinely minister to staff and students through the distribution of evangelical flyers and that a prayer box has been placed in the faculty lounge.

Basevitz’s suit also points to weekly lunches at the school that it says students refer to as “Jesus pizza” during which Pfaff preaches to and prays with students. The lunches are promoted by a sign in the school that quotes scripture, according to the lawsuit.

In the suit, Basevitz claims that Pfaff distributes bibles and placards promoting the church to students at “scholarship night” events for seniors, that the school hosted an assembly by the Todd Becker Foundation that was based on the scripture of Matthew and that it also hosted a Christian rock concert.

The lawsuit says that Basevitz filed a formal complaint and was transferred to Penrose Elementary 33 days later. It says that Basevitz was not given a written reason for the transfer but that he was given a letter that same day notifying him that no action would be taken in response to his complaint.

Basevitz alleges that the activities detailed in the suit are evidence that the establishment clause of the First Amendment is being violated. The clause says the state “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

Basevitz is seeking a ruling declaring the activities detailed in the suit unconstitutional, and an order that such activities do not continue in the future.