Judge Slaps Everett Schools with Partial Injunction Over LifeWise Bible Program

A federal judge dealt a blow to Everett Public Schools last week by issuing a preliminary injunction favoring LifeWise Academy, a Bible education nonprofit that sued the district for what it called unconstitutional restrictions. The ruling found that the district likely engaged in unlawful viewpoint discrimination by barring LifeWise from community resource fairs and limiting its ability to distribute materials to students.

LifeWise Academy, which pulls students out of class during lunch and recess for religious instruction, filed suit in December 2025 after the district denied its participation in school events, refused to let it post flyers, imposed burdensome permission slip requirements, and forced students to keep LifeWise materials sealed in backpacks during school hours.

U.S. District Judge Lauren King concluded that the district’s actions were not reasonable or neutral. She wrote that allowing secular groups while excluding LifeWise’s religious perspective constituted viewpoint discrimination, violating LifeWise’s First Amendment rights. The injunction orders the district to allow LifeWise participation in fairs, flyer postings, and student reading of LifeWise materials during times when other non-scholastic reading is permitted.

The judge also found the district’s permission slip policy overly burdensome, requiring a more flexible approach that lets parents grant semester-long permission with specific dates and authorized individuals named. However, the injunction narrows LifeWise’s original demand that the district apply identical rules to all groups, citing vagueness in that request.

LifeWise’s presence near Emerson Elementary has sparked controversy, with critics worried about classroom disruptions and the nonprofit’s ties to conservative groups. IRS filings reveal LifeWise receives most funding from donations but also financial support from The Heritage Foundation, the architect of the authoritarian Project 2025 blueprint.

Everett Public Schools is reviewing the court order and has pledged to continue following legal processes. The case is ongoing, with a full trial scheduled for early next year or a possible settlement.

This ruling highlights the growing clash between public school districts and religious organizations seeking access during school hours, raising urgent questions about the limits of free speech and religious expression in public education. It also underscores how conservative legal groups like First Liberty Institute are aggressively pushing to expand religious influence in public institutions, often backed by powerful right-wing donors and think tanks.

We will be watching closely as this case develops to hold accountable those who weaponize religion to undermine public education and blur the line between church and state.