Colorado Senior Challenges School’s Denial of Religious Parking Space

A senior at Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is claiming that her school violated her First Amendment rights by rejecting her request to display a Christian message on her personalized parking space. Supported by the First Liberty Institute, a legal organization specializing in religious freedom cases, Sophia Shumaker has filed a complaint against the school, arguing that their actions constitute viewpoint discrimination.

The legal complaint asserts that Rampart High School has created a public forum through its senior parking space program, and therefore must uphold students’ free speech rights. According to the complaint, while the school permits seniors to customize their parking spaces, it imposes restrictions specifically prohibiting religious content. This raises concerns about the potential infringement on Shumaker’s right to freely express her religious beliefs.

Shumaker’s original design included a shepherd, a sheep, and a Bible verse, which was rejected by a teacher overseeing the parking lot initiative. The teacher cited the school policy against religious messages as the reason for the denial. Following this, Shumaker attempted to modify her design to incorporate the verse “1 Cor 13:4,” arguing that it was not overtly religious. Nevertheless, the teacher allegedly discouraged her from pursuing this option, expressing uncertainty about its approval.

The First Liberty Institute contends that the school’s refusal to allow Shumaker to express her faith on her parking space is a clear violation of her First Amendment rights. The organization argues that the school’s guidelines are inconsistent, as other schools within the Academy School District 20 allow religious messages on their parking spaces. This inconsistency supports Shumaker’s claim that her message is a form of private speech, rather than government speech, implying that the school district cannot prohibit her religious expression.

The legal team emphasized that the First Amendment’s protections extend to students, allowing them to freely practice their religion, particularly when schools provide a platform for student expression such as the parking spots. The First Liberty Institute has demanded that the school district reverse its decision regarding Shumaker’s parking space and reassess the guidelines it uses for content approval.

In response to inquiries about the complaint, representatives from the Academy School District 20 confirmed they are aware of the letter from the legal group and are currently reviewing the information provided. The district clarified that the senior parking spot program is a school-sponsored activity that follows specific content guidelines and a staff approval process. Notably, the district mentioned it had not received any communication from Shumaker’s family prior to October 22, 2023.

This case underscores the ongoing tension between schools striving to maintain a neutral environment and students’ rights to express their religious beliefs. The outcome will likely hinge on whether the school’s restrictions are deemed viewpoint-based and, if so, whether they can be justified under the First Amendment, especially given the nature of the parking space program as a forum for student expression.