Lawyers claim that a Boston school board rejected a request from a Hispanic congregation to open a school private because it was animus against its religious beliefs. The church is now threatening to sue the board if the refusal continues.

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First Liberty Institute and Massachusetts Family Institute wrote Thursday urging Mary Skipper, Somerville Public School Committee, and Vida Real Church (a largely Hispanic immigrant congregation in Boston-area suburbs), to open a private religious school called the Real Life Learning Center. The school committee initially denied permission for the school to open in September 2021. Members expressed their disapproval of the church’s views on creation and sexuality.

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Andrew Beckwith, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Family Institute said that it was illegal and against the constitution for city officials to question Vida Real’s religious beliefs, let alone to use those beliefs in order to prevent Vida Real from opening a school. This is clearly religious discrimination. It’s time for Somerville officials to stop treating Vida Real unfairly and allow it to pursue the opening of a school.”

Justin Butterfield (Deputy General Counsel at First Liberty), stated that the Somerville Public School Committee displayed hostility in the statement. “The government cannot prohibit a religious school for its beliefs. This is against federal law and constitutional law.

Vida Real filed a detailed application to allow RLLC to be opened for school committee consideration in Sept. 2021, according to the letter. The committee put up multiple obstacles to Vida Real’s application, delaying it for several months and then claiming that it was not complete. The committee also sent church officials 35 questions – questions the church considers “hostile” – including questions about whether RLLC could adequately teach students due to its religious beliefs.

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The proposal was criticized by a committee who suggested that the church’s religious beliefs could hinder its educational efforts.

Boston, Massachusetts (iStock)
“The school’s position on homosexuality and creationism make it difficult to see how a thorough science and health curriculum is possible,” the document read. “The school’s approach to student services and counseling appears to devalue evidence-based psychology and its emphasis on approaches rooted in the belief that mental illness is caused by sin and demons is unscientific and harmful. … Overall, the school was entirely contrary to the values of SPS and the idea of educating the whole child as being inclusive.”

According to the letter, there was an “overt hostility” from the committee towards the application. Sara Dion, quoted in the letter, stated that denying the application was the morally right thing to take and that the cost of litigation to stop or delay opening the school would be “well-worth it.”

“The Committee’s hostility against Vida Real’s religious beliefs violates both Massachusetts law and the First Amendment,” the letter warns. “We write to you now in hopes that the Committee’s recent conduct stems from a misunderstanding of the law and the Committee’s role in evaluating private school applications from religious schools like RLLC. Based on the relevant law, RLLC fulfilled all requirements for Committee approval.

Empty classroom. (iStock)
The letter contains several requests for public information and warns that RLLC’s April 8th application will not be approved by the committee. If rejected, the church will pursue all legal options.


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Vida Real’s lawyers claim that the church has been subject to discrimination by local officials in the past. Police officers stopped the church’s services at Medford, Massachusetts in March 2021 after a Medford official requested an investigation into whether it had violated COVID-19 limitations. Officials from the locality apologized for their intrusion.