Overview
- The West Virginia Supreme Court stayed a Raleigh County judge’s order that had allowed students with religious objections to attend school and participate in sports.
- The Board of Education reinstated its directive to reject religious exemptions pending further guidance from the high court after briefly suspending the mandate last week.
- Judge Michael Froble had ruled the Board’s no‑exemption policy violated the state’s Equal Protection for Religion Act enacted in 2023.
- The case, led by parent Miranda Guzman, is certified as a class action affecting roughly 570 families who sought religious exemptions granted by the health department but not honored by schools.
- Gov. Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order authorizing religious exemptions, which the Board and two suing groups say exceeds executive authority after a Senate‑approved exemption bill failed in the House.