The judge in Westphal v. Wagner—the “prayer” case—issued a ruling today denying the district’s motion to dismiss the suit. The ruling also granted the students’ motion to proceed under pseudonyms. (Two students are among the seven or eight who have brought this suit regarding the district’s embrace of prayer practices. Anonymity protects them from harassment.)
And so the case goes forward to the preliminary-injunction hearing. The court refused Defendants’ request to conclude that we have failed to state a valid legal claim. This means that, according to the judge, if the factual claims alleged in our suit are true, we have a substantial legal claim, though, obviously, one that we can still lose. Time will tell.
It’s the first big step in this case.
So, next, is the hearing on our preliminary-injunction motion on May 3.
