(Canton, NC – 2/18/2014) CQSC which serves the North and South Carolina and Georgia areas, offers Pisgah High School student Kalei Wilson a full campership for her brave work, insisting on her right to start a Secular Student Alliance in the face of school officials refusing to allow it.
CQSC, a secular summer camp, offered a full camp scholarship, called a “campership,” to Kalei Wilson this week. Kalei and her brother, Ben, tried to start a Secular Student Alliance club at Pisgah High School, but were denied by school officials. That denial was a violation of the Equal Access Act, which requires all schools receiving federal funds to refrain from discriminating against student groups on the basis of their religious, philosophical or political beliefs. It also requires schools to appoint a sponsor if none volunteer. Kalei, with the help of the Secular Student Alliance and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, persevered, and after many letters and threat of lawsuit, she will now be able to start her club and even has teachers offering to sponsor it.
“We are very excited to offer the Ambassador Campership to Kalei,” said Geri Weaver, Chair of the Board of Directors for CQSC. “Her pursuit of social justice in the face of adversity took tremendous courage. We are proud to recognize Kalei for her actions as an ambassador for the secular community.”