These announcements include information about club field trips and meetings. If club meetings are scheduled during lunchtime, Avants said some information about if/what food would be provided can also be shared so students know if they need to get lunch before going to a club’s meeting.

Avants also said any student club can arrange guest speakers on topics that pertain to the purpose of the club, and these guests are vetted by faculty advisers to ensure school rules and procedures are followed.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is among the non-district groups that petitioned to reserve Clovis Unified School District facilities during the 2023-2024 school year. In September, the district’s board voted to cancel all reservations from outside groups — including the FCA — because too many were crowding out regular student activities during school days, the district said.

This board decision came after a Clovis parent — who is also an LGBTQ+ community advocate — said his petition to host an inclusive reading hour after school was ignored for 11 months. He questioned the district about its facilities reservation practices.

The FCA is an international Christian organization focused on empowering coaches and athletes to "know and grow in Christ" and lead others to do the same, according to its Central California chapter’s website.

The organization asks students to conform to, affirm and embrace its Sexual Purity Statement. According to federal court files, it states:

—The appropriate place for sexual expression is in the context of a marriage relationship, according to the Bible.

—The biblical description of marriage is one man and one woman in a lifelong commitment.

—The FCA’s desire is to encourage individuals to trust in Jesus and turn away from any impure lifestyle.

Because of the FCA’s beliefs in heterosexual marriage, the San Jose Unified School District denied the group recognition under the district’s nondiscrimination policies, which forbade discrimination based on sexual orientation, according to the League of Women Voters’ report about the case.

Two members of the organization sued, and after three years of legal procedures, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in FCA’s favor, requiring the district to recognize the group even if it would potentially exclude LGBTQ+ students.

The Sacramento Bee called and emailed Ron Nelson, the FCA Central California’s multi-area director, at his contact information listed by the FCA online and did not receive a response as of Wednesday evening.

A third Clovis East parent with several children attending Reyburn and Clovis East said they understand how some families can agree with what FCA preaches, yet would have liked to be informed by the schools about its presence and interactions with students at lunch, just like they are notified of meetings happening on campus.

“I do believe that everybody should have a religion because when you do, I feel like you’re more in line with life, maybe with your spiritual self,” the parent said. “But I feel you still need parents’ consent for this because kids don’t understand or know what it is.”

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