Party on: Pa. 5th-grader free to invite schoolmates to church event

Mar 12, 2013 | 0 comments

Good news here in Pennsylvania!

PITTSBURGH — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit Tuesday unanimously affirmed a lower court’s order that found two policies at a Pennsylvania school district unconstitutional after they were used to prevent a 5th-grade student from distributing invitations to a Christmas party at her church.

“Public schools should encourage, not shut down, the free exchange of ideas,” said Senior Counsel David Cortman, who argued before the court in October of last year. “Those ideas include a 5th-grader’s invitations to a religious event. The 3rd Circuit was correct in striking down the school district’s unconstitutional ban.”

Randall Wenger, Chief Counsel of the Independence Law Center, served as co-counsel in this case.