An online school’s social time became a quiet time when a student began sharing his Christian faith with his classmates.
Zion Ramos attends Arkansas Connections Academy – an online public school in Arkansas. Every day the students have a social time Zoom meeting. The kids are allowed to talk about whatever is on their mind, provided it’s not violent or vulgar.
Shortly after the Charlie Kirk assassination, Zion shared his faith in a two-minute statement. He was inspired to do so after the Kirk memorial service. At some point, the teacher muted Zion and then completely removed him from the meeting.
First Liberty Institute is representing the teenager—and they say the school broke the law.
“School officials cannot silence students who are sharing their faith with other students during social gatherings,” said Kayla Toney, an attorney with First Liberty Institute. “Public schools are not religion-free zones, but by censoring faith on campus, officials unjustly marginalize students like Zion who simply want to share the Gospel with peers.”
The First Amendment clearly protects a student who expresses their faith in a public school – and that includes a virtual school.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders instructed the Department of Education to open an investigation.
Meanwhile, the school has since backed down—and has agreed to allow Zion to share his faith during a future social time.
“We are grateful that school officials acknowledge how concerning this situation was for Zion and his family, and that federal and state law protect students’ religious expression during social gatherings,” Toney said. “Zion looks forward to sharing his faith during a future social time.”
And Zion says he’s looking forward to sharing the Good News with his classmates.
“I’m glad the school agreed to do the right thing,” he said. “Freedom of speech isn’t just a right, it’s the foundation of our liberty. Christians must stand up, speak out, and defend our right to share what we believe.”
Todd Starnes is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and host of The Todd Starnes Radio Show.
