By Associated Press
Gadsden AL – The Gadsden Board of Education has agreed to allow a bible club to use school property for meetings under a settlement of a lawsuit accusing the board of discriminating against a Christian organization by not giving it the same access as given to secular groups.
The board also agreed to pay $7,500 in attorney fees to settle the federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Alabama in August.
The suit said CEF was rebuffed after making several written and oral requests to speak with Gadsden Superintendent Bob Russell about the club using board property for club meetings after school.
Gadsden school board attorney Kent Henslee had maintained the group didn't go through the process to use the facilities.
"They agreed to do that (and) they will be treated like all other outside agencies," Henslee told The Gadsden Times in a story Wednesday.
The CEF is a national interdenominational group that sponsors Good News Clubs for elementary school children. The suit said CEF began seeking permission to use board facilities in 2004 and efforts continued through this year.
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Information from: The Gadsden Times, http://www.gadsdentimes.com