BREAKING NEW: “From Parking Space to Freedom of Faith: A 17-Year-Old Girl’s Courageous Journey”
Colorado, USA – A high school student has won a months-long battle to protect her right to express her faith. Rampart High School senior Sophia Shumaker was recently allowed to repaint her parking space with a Christian message after the school changed its policy.
In August, Shumaker was denied permission to decorate her parking space with an image of a shepherd and a lost sheep, inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:4 in the Bible. The school cited a policy banning “religious imagery.” The decision hurt Shumaker, who said her faith was a core part of her life.
The young woman then turned to First Liberty Institute, a legal organization dedicated to protecting religious liberty. Through a formal letter of request to the school, Shumaker was recognized that expressing her personal faith is a constitutional right that cannot be prohibited.
This week, Colorado Springs School District 20 confirmed it had changed its policy to allow students to express their religion as long as it does not use offensive or morally offensive language. Sophia can now redraw her original design – a shepherd holding a lost sheep, a symbol of love and forgiveness.
First Liberty attorney Keisha Russell said:
“The First Amendment protects the right to freely express faith in public schools. Sophia has taught us all the power of standing up for what is right.”
Sophia’s story is not only a legal victory, but also a symbol of personal faith in a divisive time.
