When you hear stories that Christian elementary school students were banned from singing worship songs at their talent show, you might think you’re hearing a headline from Communist China or the former Soviet Union—not Allegan, Michigan. But sadly, that’s exactly what happened at West Ward Elementary School, right here in America. Fortunately, after swift pushback from parents and a legal group, the school district backed down and reversed its outrageous decision, proving once again the power of patriotic parents when they stand up for religious liberty.
Initially, two young siblings were told by their school that their chosen songs—Brandon Lake’s “That’s Who I Praise” and Colton Dixon’s “Up and Up”—were forbidden because the lyrics were “too religious.” Teacher Penny Bishop reportedly told the students’ mother that the songs were “Christian-based” and would violate the so-called “separation of church and state.” Principal Molly Carl echoed this nonsense, fretting that the lyrics mentioned worshiping God and referenced being freed from slavery, clearly alluding to the biblical Exodus.
This is not only preposterous—it’s unconstitutional. The First Amendment explicitly guarantees religious freedom and the right to freely express one’s faith, even in public schools. The radical Left’s favorite phrase, “separation of church and state,” doesn’t appear anywhere in our Constitution. It was coined by Thomas Jefferson in a letter assuring a group of Baptists that the government would never infringe upon their religious expression—not to censor schoolchildren singing wholesome, faith-based songs.
Thankfully, the legal warriors at First Liberty Institute stepped in swiftly, sending the district a letter reminding them of the children’s constitutional rights. As First Liberty attorney Kayla Toney put it, “We are grateful for the school’s prompt attention…and their recognition that the law is very clearly on the side of the students.”
After this justified backlash, the Allegan Public Schools Superintendent, James Antoine, issued an apology. “Upon review, it was determined that school staff were unfamiliar with legal guidelines concerning religious expression,” Antoine wrote. In short, the school admitted it had no idea what it was talking about and promised to rectify its mistake. The students will now be allowed to perform their chosen religious songs at the talent show, as they should have been from the beginning.
But make no mistake—this incident wasn’t just a minor misunderstanding. It reflects a broader, dangerous trend in our public schools: educators and bureaucrats who are either ignorant of or hostile to traditional American values, particularly religious freedom and the Judeo-Christian principles that our nation was founded upon. These attacks aren’t isolated—they happen nationwide, from prohibiting prayer before football games to banning Bible clubs after school.
This is precisely why we, as conservatives and patriotic Americans, must remain vigilant. We’ve seen under the Biden-era that the Left will stop at nothing to erase faith from public life, pushing Marxist-inspired secularism into our classrooms. President Trump has consistently stood firm for religious liberty, reminding us that “America is a nation of believers,” and that our rights come not from government, but from Almighty God.
We cannot allow radical educators or woke bureaucrats to trample the religious freedoms that so many generations fought to protect. Our children deserve schools where faith isn’t treated with suspicion or hostility, but welcomed as a vital and cherished part of their lives and our nation’s heritage.
Thankfully, in Allegan, parents stood their ground and prevailed. Their courage and swift action should inspire other communities facing similar threats. As Thomas Jefferson himself stated, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” Let’s heed those words by ensuring our schools respect and protect America’s first freedom—the right to freely worship God, even in elementary school talent shows.
