L.H.S. approves Bible Club after controversy

After four months of delays, a Lindenhurst student will now be allowed to host a Bible Club at the high school. But the decision comes only after the student filed a federal lawsuit against the Lindenhurst Board of Education, superintendent and principal for barring the club from meeting on school grounds, allegedly, because of its religious nature.

The student, known as A.Q. in the court papers, filed in the District Court in Central Islip, tried to get permission to start a Bible Club, but ran into problems getting it officially recognized by the school. He told his lawyer that the school encouraged him to sign the club up as an outside community group, rather than a student organization, explained Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman, a lawyer with The Alliance Defense Fund, an organization formed to defend religious liberties.

Student organizations receive privileges from the school such as inclusion in the yearbook and opportunities to publicize and recruit members, explained Cortman. "Christian-student groups shouldn't be discriminated against for their beliefs," said Cortman. "The First