We Just Reset the Landscape in Hawaii

from Liberty Counsel, Nov 27, 2024

A country generally gets the government it deserves, because it often represents the people and their culture. Our culture is deeply broken. To change the culture, the best place to begin is with youth ages 4 to 14.

The Aloha state had been discriminating against Child Evangelist Fellowship (CEF) Good News Clubs (GNC) — until now! We just won a statewide injunction!

CEF counters the anti-God culture, teaching children to build their lives not on the base of anti-Christian lies, but on a solid foundation of the Word of God. As we wrap up this case, we are preparing another lawsuit against a school district in California. In that district, every view is welcome — except for the Christian club. We intend to change that, but we need your help.

To change a government, culture itself must be changed.

Radical, anti-God forces have known this for ages. Secularists continue to push for earlier and earlier access to our children, knowing that if they change children’s fundamental values, they will change society and culture. First came the institution of kindergarten, where children as young as 5 were put into government schools.

Once that became normalized, the leftists pushed for even younger access to our children’s malleable minds. “Pre-K” for 4-year-olds was proposed and adopted. Now the left is increasingly demanding children as young as 3 be included in their government schooling.

Now that both mothers and fathers tend to work outside the home, the government has charge over our children for most of the day. And as you can see from the radical ideals being instilled in our children, the left’s attempts to change our culture have been very successful.

But a Christian cultural revolution is rising ...

Child Evangelism Fellowship has been working to build a strong, godly foundation in children through its Good News Clubs. These after-school programs provide children with biblically based spiritual education that includes moral and character development. Several thousand Good News Clubs operate in elementary schools from coast to coast.

More than 87% of school administrators say the Good News Clubs are a positive experience for their school. Yet sadly, a growing number of anti-Christian school administrators are fighting to keep Good News Clubs OUT of their after-school programs. And this fight has increased since the COVID lockdowns.

Prior to COVID-19, CEF Hawaii had active Good News Clubs in the state. When the lockdowns were lifted, the after-school clubs returned in 2022.

However, the Hawaii State Department of Education, through four of its superintendents and other officials, denied every request CEF submitted over the last three years while approving non-Christian groups to meet.

That is blatant religious discrimination . . . and Liberty Counsel just stopped it in its tracks.

In January 2024, Liberty Counsel filed a lawsuit on behalf of CEF Hawaii against Hawaii’s Department of Education and six elementary schools that discriminated against Good News Clubs.

During the lawsuit, Hawaii’s Department of Education even admitted that the Good News Clubs were denied based on religion.

WE WON!

On November 19, 2024, Liberty Counsel won a permanent injunction for the entire state of Hawaii, ensuring that CEF clubs will have equal access to all public school facilities, just like any other group. No longer can the state of Hawaii discriminate against Christians! Praise the Lord!

As a result of our lawsuit, the State of Hawaii may no longer discriminate against these after-school Bible clubs. The injunction means that CEF Good News Clubs must be given equal access just as other similarly situated clubs have on public school campuses throughout the state.

Political engagement is critical. But the most important work we can do to change the culture is to reach the youth with the Good News of Jesus.

Liberty Counsel has never lost a Good News Club case. As of today, every public school in Hawaii is NOW open for the Good News!

We are fixing America’s culture, and I hope you will join us.

As you know, Liberty Counsel never charges for our legal work. Instead, our clients — like CEF — rely on you, the faithful Liberty Counsel supporter, to fund the fight for religious freedom. We need YOUR HELP to continue providing this lifesaving legal work to rescue our children. Every donation made today will be DOUBLED by a special Challenge Grant.

“Train a child up in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel

TAKE ACTION

There’s another way you can help build godly foundations in our children that will grow into indestructible fortresses based on the Word of God — Covenant Journey Academy. God-honoring homeschooling is easy and affordable. Learn more at CJ.Academy.

Change the culture in your hometown! Consider forming a Good News Club in YOUR local elementary school. We can help.

CP: Hawaii must allow Good News Club at every public school: court | Education

CW: Good News Club Granted Equal Rights in Hawaii Schools - Milton Quintanilla

FW: Court Orders Hawaii to Allow Good News Clubs at Every Public School – Faithwire

CBN: Court Orders Hawaii to Allow Good News Clubs at Every Public School | CBN News