A public school district forced elementary school children to seal their Bibles in envelopes and hide them in their backpacks. A school board member admitted, openly and on the record, that he holds "animus" toward Christians. Community members compared the children's Bible program to the Nazi party — and the school board did nothing to stop it.
This isn't a story from 1950s Alabama. This happened in 2025-2026 in Everett, Washington. And the only reason it stopped is because a federal judge stepped in.
But the fight isn't over.
WHAT HAPPENED
LifeWise Academy is a nonprofit that provides off-campus Bible education to public school students during school hours — with written parental permission. It's fully legal. The Supreme Court has upheld release-time religious instruction since 1952. LifeWise operates in over 1,170 schools across 34 states, serving tens of thousands of families.
But in Everett, Washington, the school district decided to make an example of them.
The district's new policies required:
- LifeWise students to seal any Bible materials in envelopes hidden in their backpacks — even during free reading time when other kids could read comic books
- Parents to submit a new permission slip every single week — a requirement no other program faced
- LifeWise to be banned from community resource fairs where secular organizations were welcome
- LifeWise to be prohibited from posting flyers in school lobbies alongside every other group
THE BOARD MEMBER WHO ADMITTED HOSTILITY
When LifeWise and First Liberty Institute sent a letter asking the school board to fix these unconstitutional policies, School Board Director Charles Adkins responded at a public meeting on December 9, 2025. His exact words:
"I want to make it very, extremely, abundantly clear, that yes, I do in fact hold animus toward LifeWise Academy. ... It is an organization of homophobic bullies who are active and willing participants in the efforts to bring about an authoritarian theocracy."
He went on to accuse LifeWise of bringing "white supremacy and Christian nationalism to our schools" and declared the program "cannot be allowed to have access to our kids."
Other community members stood up at board meetings and compared LifeWise to the Nazi party taking trains filled with people to gas chambers. No school board member corrected them. No district leader distanced the district from those comments.
Instead, they doubled down.
THE COURT'S RESPONSE
On April 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Lauren King (a Biden appointee) issued a preliminary injunction against the Everett School District. The court ruled that the district's policies were not neutral or generally applicable — and that they arose from "school board animus toward LifeWise."
The judge found that LifeWise is likely to succeed on its claims that the district violated the First Amendment rights of Christian families.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW
The preliminary injunction is a victory — but it's a temporary one.
The case is still active. Full trial isn't scheduled until April 2027. Legal fees from First Liberty Institute and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP continue to mount. Expert witnesses, depositions, motion hearings — all of it costs money.
LifeWise Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded entirely by donor support. Every dollar of the $39 million they raised in FY25 went directly to local Bible education programs across the country. They don't have a massive legal war chest. That's why they need the body of Christ to stand with them.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
- $50,000 covers the next phase of litigation: depositions, expert witness fees, court filing costs, and legal staffing as the case proceeds toward a full trial
- If we exceed the goal, additional funds will support LifeWise's Religious Freedom Fund — helping other local programs facing similar legal challenges nationwide
WHAT'S AT STAKE
If the Everett School District wins, it sets a precedent that any public school district in America can single out Christian programs for discriminatory treatment. They can force Christian kids to hide their faith. They can ban Bible programs while welcoming every other group.
But if LifeWise wins — and with your help, they will — it reaffirms that religious freedom isn't a second-class right. That Christian families have the same access to school resources as everyone else. That children don't have to hide their Bibles to get an education.
JOIN THE FIGHT
This is a defining moment for religious freedom in America. A school board member admitted he hates Christians. A district targeted a Bible program for destruction. A federal judge stopped them.
Now we need to finish the job.
Donate now. Share this campaign. And pray for the families, the children, and the legal team fighting for the right to learn about Jesus without hiding.
"Elementary school children, like all Americans, enjoy the right to receive religious instruction without fear or favor." — Barbara Smith Tyson, counsel for LifeWise
