JOPLIN, Mo.– A federal judge ruled Thursday in favor of a group that sued the Joplin, Missouri, School District over two 2015 field trips to a Christ-centered community center, alleging the students’ First Amendment rights were violated.

The American Humanist Association filed the lawsuit in 2015 against the district on behalf of a parent of two Joplin students over the field trips to Victory Ministry and Sports Complex, formerly the Bridge, which the group contended violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit stemmed from a May 8 field trip to the center. The permission slips sent home to parents, according to the lawsuit, said to “understand their children may be invited to Bible studies and local churches while at Victory.” The same permission slip, the suit alleges, “required parents to allow their child to participate in worship services, Bible studies or any other activities that may pertain to the Christian faith.”

According to court documents, the school district had contended the trip served a secular purpose — rewarding students for positive standardized test scores and good behavior during testing. But, the court said, “these valid secular objectives can be readily accomplished by other means.”

“Here, the Joplin District made its students available to Victory, and as a result subject to its religious messages at public expense, during the school day,” the court said in its ruling. “While defendants claim no direct sharing of religious messages occurred during the field trips, the plain and unequivocal language of the waiver and release form permits Victory to invite students to Bible studies and local churches, and for students to actually participate in worship service, Bible studies, and any other activity pertaining to the Christian faith.”

While the judge ruled in favor of the Humanist Association, no settlement has been determined yet. The court has granted all parties 10 days to submit language to be considered for its final order and judgment.

Larimore writes for the Joplin, Missouri Globe.