First Liberty Institute filed a federal lawsuit against Everett Public Schools on December 18, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The suit claims the district violates the First Amendment by discriminating against LifeWise Academy, an off-campus Bible instruction program.
LifeWise Academy gives students the choice to attend Bible classes during free periods at Emerson Elementary, but only with their parents’ approval.
The Supreme Court settled this issue back in 1952, making it clear in Zorach v. Clauson that off-campus, privately funded religious instruction is legal as long as the school does not force anyone to participate.
Everett Public Schools has gone out of its way to single out LifeWise. The district blocks the program from community events and flyer tables that are wide open to secular groups. No other activity is forced to get weekly permission slips, but LifeWise is.
Students returning from the program must hide their Bibles and materials in sealed envelopes inside their backpacks, a rule that applies to nothing else. Meanwhile, other kids are free to read comic books or anything else during free time, but LifeWise religious materials are treated like contraband.
School Board Director Charles Adkins admitted his bias during a December 9, 2025, board meeting. Adkins said, "Yes, I do hold animus toward LifeWise Academy. It is an organization of homophobic bullies, who are active and willing participants in efforts to bring about an authoritarian theocracy."
Joel Penton, CEO of LifeWise Academy, called the policies discriminatory. "Religious release time programs such as LifeWise should be accessible to all families on a consistent basis," Penton said. "It is unfortunate that we have to bring this lawsuit to protect a program that is already being used by dozens of families in Everett."
Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, stated the restrictions show intentional hostility.
"Purposefully hindering the operation of an out-of-school program just because it’s religious is a direct violation of the First Amendment," Dys said. "Now a member of the school board has admitted publicly that the board’s actions against LifeWise are out of intentional hostility toward religion."
The lawsuit aims to put an end to these discriminatory rules. LifeWise Academy runs in more than 1,000 schools across 12 states, serving over 35,000 students with Bible-based character lessons. Nowhere else in the country are students forced to stuff their Bibles in envelopes or get weekly permission slips just to attend.
Everett officials claim these rules prevent classroom disruption, but the facts show they are singling out Christian religious content for special punishment.