Westside School District v. Mergens
Encyclopedia
Westside School District v. Mergens, 496 U.S. 226
(1990), was a case involving a school district's ability to hold classes on Bible study
after school.
, in District 66, located in Omaha Nebraska, refused to let a group of students wishing to form a Christian Bible Study Club within their school. Bridget Mergens is the name of the student who initiated the process to start the club. She was a senior at the time. It was decided that the club could not take place because they would not allow a staff member to sponsor it (staff sponsoring was required or the club meetings could not take place at the school). The students argued that the district's decision was in violation of the Equal Access Act
requiring that groups seeking to express “religious, political, philosophical, or other content” messages not be denied the ability to form clubs.
held that the club could hold their meetings, however their sponsor could not be paid; this would truly be an endorsement of religion.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1990), was a case involving a school district's ability to hold classes on Bible study
Bible study (Christian)
In Christianity, Bible study is the study of the Bible by ordinary people as a personal religious or spiritual practice. Some denominations may call this devotion or devotional acts; however in other denominations devotion has other meanings...
after school.
Background
Westside High SchoolWestside High School (Omaha)
Westside High School is the high school of the Westside Community Schools district of Omaha, Nebraska. This school has provided education in the Westside Community for 50 years.-Modular schedule system:...
, in District 66, located in Omaha Nebraska, refused to let a group of students wishing to form a Christian Bible Study Club within their school. Bridget Mergens is the name of the student who initiated the process to start the club. She was a senior at the time. It was decided that the club could not take place because they would not allow a staff member to sponsor it (staff sponsoring was required or the club meetings could not take place at the school). The students argued that the district's decision was in violation of the Equal Access Act
Equal Access Act
The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed in 1984 to compel federally-funded secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular clubs...
requiring that groups seeking to express “religious, political, philosophical, or other content” messages not be denied the ability to form clubs.
Decision
In an 8-1 decision the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
held that the club could hold their meetings, however their sponsor could not be paid; this would truly be an endorsement of religion.
- The school's situation was placed under the Equal Access Act because it allowed other ‘limited open forums’. The Lemon Test is used to ensure that the Equal Access Act is constitutional.
See also
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 496
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
- Lists of United States Supreme Court cases by volume
- List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Rehnquist Court