A New York high school student has won the legal battle to display Bible verses on her senior parking spot after intervention by the First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit organization defending religious liberty. The school initially rejected her design due to Christian imagery and Scripture, but reversed its decision citing constitutional principles.
Sabrina Steffans, a senior at Grand Island High School, faced rejection from the school administration for her initial design, which included a depiction of Salvation Mountain, a brightly-colored art installation in the California desert, along with a heart-shaped design encasing a Bible verse. She was initially disappointed when the school denied her first design, but was further surprised when her second design, which contained only a Bible verse without any religious symbols, was also rejected. This led her and her legal team to take action and pursue the case through the First Liberty Institute.
The school’s reversal of its decision came after the Institute’s intervention, with the district citing constitutional principles as the basis for allowing the display. The school’s superintendent, Brian Graham, acknowledged the district’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment while upholding constitutional rights.
The case highlights the ongoing debate around free speech and religious expression in public schools. Keisha Russell, a senior counsel at the First Liberty Institute, emphasized that the separation of church and state argument is not a valid reason to deny the right to religious speech, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Kennedy v. Bremerton case. The victory for Steffans is seen as a significant step in protecting religious liberty, but also underscores the challenges faced in maintaining constitutional balance in educational settings.