WILL:
On behalf of a Wisconsin parent, WILL has notified Lighthouse Learning Academy that it is prepared to take legal action over the school’s refusal to provide certain non-religious individualized curriculum materials merely because the materials were created by a Christian company.
Lighthouse is a district-authorized charter school that operates with more flexibility than traditional district schools, allowing families greater involvement in the education of their children. Parents may choose instructional materials that best fit the learning needs of their children.
Our client, Mrs. Karen Sharkey, selected non-religious materials from an award-winning publisher that provides resources to homeschoolers and charter schools across the country. Lighthouse denied several of her selections after objecting to the publisher’s Christian affiliation and expressing unfounded concerns that the content was religious in nature.
The Quotes: WILL Associate Counsel, Lauren Greuel, stated, “Lighthouse Learning Academy is drawing a line in the sand for all the wrong reasons. Denying a parent’s selections for curriculum to best fit the needs of her child because of a Christian affiliation is misguided and illegal. WILL stands ready to protect Mrs. Sharkey’s right to choose the best coursework for her child and to demand that the school applies its policies fairly to all parents.”