A federal judge has ordered the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to provide equal access to facilities for a Christian after-school program after the district repeatedly denied the group space on its campuses.
The case was brought by Child Evangelism Fellowship of NorCal, Inc. (CEF), which sponsors Good News Clubs — weekly programs offering Bible lessons, songs, and activities for children, free of charge and with parental permission. CEF claimed that OUSD refused access to four school campuses over a two-year period.
On Aug. 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. issued a preliminary injunction requiring OUSD to grant Good News Clubs the same access as secular after-school groups. The judge ruled that the district engaged in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination and violated CEF’s free speech rights.
Court documents show that OUSD cited various reasons for denying CEF’s request, including lack of available space and concerns over “evangelism on our campus.” The district also rejected CEF’s effort to become an official “community partner,” citing the organization’s religious nature.
Gilliam dismissed these arguments, noting that Good News Clubs meet after school hours, are voluntary, not school-sponsored, and open to any student. The court emphasized that OUSD allows secular groups such as the Girl Scouts, Berkeley Chess School, and Girls on the Run, but singled out CEF solely for its religious viewpoint.
The judge ordered both parties to submit a joint case management statement by Sept. 16 and to appear at a case management conference on Sept. 23.
The ruling reflects the precedent set by the 2001 U.S. Supreme Court case Good News Club v. Milford Central School, which held that public schools cannot exclude religious groups from facility use when secular groups are permitted. The Supreme Court determined that such exclusion constitutes unconstitutional discrimination against religious viewpoints.
CEF is represented by Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit legal organization, which said it will now pursue a permanent injunction to secure long-term equal access for Good News Clubs in Oakland schools.
Liberty Counsel founder and chairman Mat Staver praised the decision:
“This is a great victory for Child Evangelism Fellowship, parents, and the students in Oakland public schools. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints regarding use of school facilities,” he said in a press release. “Child Evangelism Fellowship gives children a biblically based education that includes moral and character development. Good News Clubs should be in every public elementary school.”
An OUSD spokesperson told Fox News Digital:
“Oakland Unified School District supports the right of inclusive, non-discriminatory groups to have access to public lands such as public school property for the exercise of their first amendment rights to assembly and free expression. As long as such groups go through the proper channels to rent District facilities, pay the going rate, take care to preserve the integrity of the grounds, and do not overstay their rental period, members of our community are welcome to use district facilities outside of school hours, and at times and in ways that do not otherwise hinder the education process for Oakland students. We welcome all groups to apply to use our facilities.”
