Press Release
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: tHURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
CONTACT: Nicole Velasco at
media@faith-freedom.COM
CHINO VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT CHALLENGES UNJUST INJUCTION ON SCHOOL BOARD INVOCATIONS
Murrieta, CA — Today, Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) has taken decisive legal action to challenge an outdated injunction that prohibits school board meetings from opening with an invocation. The injunction, originally imposed by the Ninth Circuit Court, was based on the now-defunct Lemon test, which the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down as an unreliable and ahistorical framework for interpreting the Establishment Clause.
In its place, the Supreme Court has clarified that constitutional questions regarding religious expression should be analyzed in light of our nation’s history and traditions. The Founding Fathers recognized the power of invocations to solemnize proceedings and unify communities, demonstrating that such practices are deeply rooted in American governance.
Because the invalid Lemon test was used to justify the injunction against CVUSD’s policy of opening board meetings with prayer, this restriction is no longer legally sound or equitable. Advocates for Faith & Freedom, on behalf of CVUSD, has therefore filed a motion to lift the injunction, seeking to establish a policy that permits invocations prior to school board meetings in accordance with long-standing American traditions.
“Our school board welcomed voices of all faiths without coercion or preference, yet groups driven by political agendas forced us to abandon a unifying tradition,” said CVUSD School Board President, Sonja Shaw. “This is not what the First Amendment was meant to protect. We will not quietly surrender our right to reflect the values of our community and the freedoms our nation was built upon.”
“This injunction was based on a now-overturned legal doctrine and suppresses a practice that has been part of our nation’s fabric since its inception,” said Advocates attorney, Robert Tyler. “The Supreme Court has made it clear that the history and traditions of our country should guide our understanding of the Establishment Clause. Chino Valley Unified School District is right to challenge this injunction and restore the rightful place of invocations in its school board meetings.”
This legal challenge underscores a broader effort to reaffirm constitutional freedoms and honor America’s historical commitment to religious expression in public life. Advocates for Faith & Freedom stands firm in its commitment to protecting religious expression in the public sphere and ensuring that communities are free to exercise their constitutional rights.