Palmdale School District in California has reversed its stance on allowing one of its students to share Bible verses with other students, Liberty Counsel reported Monday. A Desert Rose Elementary school student will now be allowed to share Bible verses and notes with other students who want them in a complete reversal of the school district’s former position.

Earlier this year, a first-grader whom Liberty Counsel called “C,” began sharing with other students Bible verses and notes that his mother Christina Zavala packed in his lunch. Each day “C” would read the Bible verses and corresponding explanatory note with his friends. Eventually, the little boy’s friends wanted copies of the notes as well, and “C’s” mother provided those for “C” to hand out.

“C” was informed by a teacher that he could not share notes during lunchtime, but could outside the school gate. “C” complied, but was then approached by principal Melanie Pagliaro, who told him that he could not share the notes on school property, but could on a public sidewalk. “C” and his father once again complied, but the school still sent a Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff to their home to inform the family that “C” could not share any more papers because “someone might be offended.”

“C” and his family contacted Liberty Counsel in response to the violation of their First Amendment rights. Liberty Counsel wrote a letter to the school board, saying in part that,

Having reviewed the above facts, District policies, and applicable law, it is clear that the actions of District staff in this instance, in prohibiting voluntary student religious expression during non-instructional time; then completely banning such student expression from school property entirely; and finally calling the police to report the same are simply unconstitutional. These actions must be disavowed and reversed, to avoid liability for civil rights violations.

In apparent response to the letter from Liberty Counsel, Palmdale School District issued a statement on their website regarding the incident at Desert Rose Elementary School:

The Palmdale School District acutely respects the religious rights of all students, parents, administrators and staff.  This isolated incident seems to stem from a misunderstanding of existing rules and procedures designed to protect students, and not based on an effort to restrict religious liberties.

We are eagerly expecting the results of an internal investigation.  The investigation will determine whether and to what extent proper protocol was followed at Desert Rose Elementary School.

We will next update this message as soon as we know more facts.

In a statement issued Monday, Liberty Counsel reported that Palmdale School District attorneys had concluded in a letter addressed to Liberty that:

1. “C” may freely discuss his religious beliefs on the Desert Rose campus during non-instructional time;
2. The Zavalas may distribute written material to anyone on any designated public forum, including the sidewalk a few feet away from the Desert Rose School gate;
3. Mr. and Mrs. Zavala may continue to send a daily note to “C” in his lunchbox;
4. “C” may freely read and discuss his daily note with his peers during non-instructional time;
5. “C” may even verbally invite any of his peers to join him on the sidewalk after school for further discussion on the contents of the notes.

Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, was pleased with the District’s decision. “We celebrate this victory that acknowledges that students have constitutional rights to free speech to distribute literature during non-instructional times,” he said. “Now this young boy is free to share his Bible verses and stories with his classmates this year without hassle.”

Palmdale School District has not yet publicly commented on the report.