Overview
- The West Virginia Supreme Court issued a stay on Tuesday that halts Judge Michael Froble’s injunction allowing students citing religious objections to attend school and participate in sports.
- The Board of Education said its directive to county boards not to accept religious exemptions is back in effect until the high court provides further guidance.
- Froble had ruled that the Board’s no‑exemption policy violated the state’s 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act.
- The case, brought by parent Miranda Guzman after a previously issued religious‑exemption certificate was rescinded, is certified to represent about 570 families statewide.
- The dispute follows Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order creating a religious‑exemption process that the Board told schools to ignore, as a Senate‑passed bill to allow exemptions later failed in the House.