A Sioux Falls teacher who has sued the school district says it ignored its policies when it barred her from helping with an after-school program run by a religious group.
The case involves Barbara Wigg, who teaches second and third grade at Laura B. Anderson Elementary School.
According to the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls, in January the district denied Wigg permission to help with the Good News Club. The club is sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship, which teaches children morals and character development from a religious perspective. It meets from 3 p.m.-4 p.m. on Mondays in leased space at the school.
Wigg said her principal, the superintendent and the school board told her that participating in the club would violate district policy.
But Wigg's lawyers argue that the policy allows employees to use their time out of school to take part in religious activities with organizations that lease space from the district, which the Good News Club does. Prohibiting Wigg from participating in such activities also goes against the U.S. Department of Education's guidelines on prayer in the public school, the lawsuit states.
"Their policy, in my opinion, is blatantly clear, that she is allowed to do this," said Wigg's lawyer, Joel Oster with the Orlando, Fla., group Liberty Counsel.
In an interview, Oster said his organization gets involved when government officials hinder people's ability to practice their faith.
The district said its policy allowing employees to take part in religious activities off school time only applies to churches, not other organizations, according to Oster.
"So she could be a pastor that meets at 3 o'clock, but she can't assist in an after-school Bible club," he said.
The district's lawyer, Michael Luce, said he could not comment about the lawsuit.
Wigg's lawsuit said the district violated her right to free speech, freedom of association and religious freedom. It asks for a quick hearing and a judge's decision instead of a trial.