LAUSD, RELIGIOUS GROUP AGREE TO SITE USE.Byline: - Staff and Wire Services A San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. religious group has won the right to use Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Unified schools for after-school activities free of charge under a settlement reached with the district, officials said Friday. The LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) had sought to charge the Good News Club a $60 fee to meet at Chase Elementary School in Panorama City. Child Evangelism Fellowship Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is an international evangelical nonprofit organization founded by Jesse Overholtzer in 1937, headquartered in Warrenton, Missouri. The organization lists as its purpose to teach the Gospel to boys and girls and to get them involved in local , the club sponsor, sued the district last year, alleging discrimination. LAUSD offers free use of its facilities to numerous community groups for youth-oriented activities, including the Boy Scouts and YMCA YMCA in full Young Men's Christian Association Nonsectarian, nonpolitical Christian lay movement that aims to develop high standards of Christian character among its members. . In July, U.S. District Judge Margaret Morrow found that the Child Evangelism Fellowship likely would be able to prove that the LAUSD charged the religious group $60 to use Chase Street School, while letting other groups use the public building for free. The U.S. Constitution forbids discrimination against religious groups. Under the settlement, LAUSD agrees to allow the Good News Club and other religious groups equal access to school campuses. The district will drop its fee and remove from its application for facilities use a statement that previously warned against the conduct of religious activities on campus. LAUSD Superintendent Roy Romer the district is ``happy to put this litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. behind us in a way that ensures the LAUSD upholds the Constitution.'' Matthew D. Staver, president of Liberty Counsel, which represented Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc., said the ruling was a ``great resolution for the Good News Club.'' |
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