A public high school in upstate New York has agreed to allow a senior to adorn her personal parking space with Bible verses after receiving a demand letter alleging a violation of the student’s First Amendment rights.
Attorneys for Sabrina Steffans, a Christian senior at Grand Island Senior High School near Buffalo, fired off an 11-page letter to the school’s leadership last week threatening legal action after administrators allegedly denied designs for her personal senior parking space because of their explicitly Christian content.
The demand letter explained that students pay a $50 fee and use their own supplies to create designs for their designated parking spaces, which must be approved by school staff.
Grand Island Central School District Superintendent Brian Graham told The Christian Post in a statement that the district “remains committed to fostering an inclusive school environment that respects the rights and dignity of all students,” and that the district decided to allow Steffans her original parking space design after weighing the possibility of costly and lengthy litigation.
Two of Steffans’ three proposed designs that quoted chapter-and-verse Bible quotations were rejected by Principal Hillary Kretz-Harvey and Assistant Principal Jaime Peld, who reportedly claimed her parking space would necessitate allowing satanic imagery on other students’ parking spaces.
The first of Steffans’ proposed designs featured a cross, a heart, messages about God’s love and John 14:6, in which Jesus made an exclusive claim, saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
“If we had to approve your cross, we’d have to approve a satanic symbol, and I wouldn’t want to attend a school like that,” the administrators reportedly told Steffans, whom they advised to disguise the cross symbol in her design as the letter T.
Steffans’ second design, which was also rejected, quoted “Let your light shine” from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:16 and used the cross as the T in the word “light.” She also quoted God’s promise of hope from Jeremiah 29:11.
Her third design was approved after it removed explicit biblical citations of chapter and verse, though it did retain “Let your light shine” and affirmation that “He is King.”
Steffans, who has led the Bible club at her school, reportedly asked her principals why she was facing pushback for her parking space after having been allowed to include Scripture references on Bible Club posters at the school.
“I just let that one slide,” her assistant principal said, according to the demand letter.
Graham, the superintendent, told CP that while the school district leaders “strongly dispute any assertion that our policies or decisions violated the rights of any student, the Board of Education and District leadership, after careful consultation with legal counsel, have decided that the student in question will be permitted to proceed with her original senior parking space design.”
“This decision reflects a thoughtful balance between upholding the law and avoiding prolonged, expensive, and divisive litigation that would ultimately distract from our shared mission — supporting student success.”
Graham added that the district will take time in the coming months to review the high school senior parking space program and consider if adjustments are necessary.
“We thank the many members of our community who shared feedback, perspectives, and support during this discussion. Open and respectful dialogue is a hallmark of public education, and it’s something we will always value,” he added.
Keisha Russell, who serves as senior counsel for the nonprofit First Liberty Institute, which was involved with the case, praised the school district’s recent move in a statement provided to CP.
“We are pleased that the school district changed course and will allow Sabrina to truly express her deeply held beliefs in her design,” she said. “The First Amendment protects students’ private expressions of faith in public schools.”
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
