Harrison v. Gregoire
Institute for Justice Challenged the State of Washington’s Discriminatory Student Teacher Policies

The State promptly changed its policy to allow Harrison to intern at Bellarmine Preparatory School, a Jesuit school in Tacoma, to gain experience for an administrative credential.  However, Eastern Washington University claimed that it discriminated not just against religious schools, but all private schools, and the Thurston County Superior Court denied an injunction to Penhallurick that would have allowed her to student-teach at a Seventh-day Adventist school in Moses Lake.

Meanwhile, the State no longer justifies its policy under the Blaine Amendment.  Instead, it contends that its universities either deny student-teaching placements in all private schools, secular or religious, or allow them in both.  In light of the State’s new interpretation, IJ dismissed its lawsuit.