Grant Park Christian Academy v. Fried

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried threatened to take away the school lunches of low-income children attending a Christian school in Florida – simply because of the school’s religious beliefs. Biden administration actions made it so that in order to receive government funding to provide meals to its student body, Grant Park Christian Academy would have had to adopt various protocols that directly violate its religious convictions, like addressing students with biologically inaccurate pronouns and opening restrooms to individuals who identify with the opposite sex. Thankfully, with ADF’s help, children in need did not lose access to school lunches.

Case timeline

• May 2022: The USDA issued a “policy update” redefining sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity, in accordance with an executive order from President Joe Biden.
• July 2022: Grant Park Christian Academy was notified by a Florida official that it “must comply with all federal regulations in the National School Lunch Program.”
• August 2022: Days after ADF attorneys filed their lawsuit, Fried and the Biden administration granted the school’s religious exemption and approved its application for funding to continue serving free meals to the 56 low-income children enrolled.