Ohio School Suspended This Christian Teacher for Obeying God. She Fought Back and Won.

Ohio Christian Teacher Suspended for Observing Biblical Feast of Tabernacles Wins Religious Freedom Victory

Shawnae Carlisle, a science teacher at Southeast Elementary School in Salem, Ohio, has won a significant religious liberty victory after the Salem City School District reversed its decision to suspend her for observing a biblical holy day.

Carlisle, a member of The Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA), had faithfully requested and received approval for unpaid leave to observe Old Testament holidays for 15 years without issue. That streak ended in October 2025, when the district denied her request for time off to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

Carlisle took the days off anyway, following what she described as a higher calling. The school district responded by suspending her without pay for five days.

When faced with a conflict between what the school district demanded and what I believe God requires, I am compelled to obey God rather than man.

Shawnae Carlisle

First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious liberty, took up her case alongside the law firm Ashbrook Byrne Kresge Flowers LLC. Her attorneys argued the district's reasoning was "arbitrary and inconsistent" and "did not comport with its treatment of other teachers in the school."

After receiving a legal demand letter outlining Carlisle's religious liberty rights, the Salem City School District reversed course. The district agreed to accommodate her religious observances going forward, permitting unpaid leave for various holy days in accordance with her faith, and reversed the prior suspension.

No one should be forced to violate their religious beliefs in order to keep their job.

Ben Flowers, Ashbrook Byrne Kresge Flowers LLC

Carlisle encouraged other educators facing similar situations to engage in "open and respectful discussion" with school officials about religious accommodations.

Christian Teacher Shawnae Carlisle Stands Firm on Faith After School District Backs Down

The case highlights the ongoing tension between public school policies and the religious rights of employees. Under federal law, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs unless doing so creates an undue hardship. Carlisle's 15 year track record of arranging substitute teachers and taking unpaid leave demonstrated that the accommodation posed no burden on the district.

First Liberty Institute Senior Counsel Cliff Martin praised the outcome and the district's decision to do the right thing. The case serves as a precedent for educators and public employees across the country who may face similar conflicts between their faith and their workplace obligations.

The Crusader's Opinion

For fifteen years, this woman served faithfully, arranged her own substitutes, and never caused a single disruption. Then one day, bureaucrats decided her God wasn't important enough for a few days off. They suspended her for obeying Scripture. Let that sink in. A public school will bend over backwards to accommodate every secular preference under the sun, but the moment a Christian asks for unpaid leave to honor a biblical feast, suddenly it's a problem. Thank God for organizations like First Liberty Institute that remind these districts what the law actually says. Shawnae Carlisle did exactly what every believer should do: she chose God over man, and God honored her for it.

Take Action

• Learn about your religious accommodation rights in the workplace by visiting First Liberty Institute and sharing their resources with fellow believers in education.
• If you or someone you know is facing religious discrimination at work or school, contact First Liberty Institute directly at media@firstliberty.org or call 972-941-4454.
• Support organizations defending religious liberty by donating to First Liberty Institute or The Shepherd's Shield.
• Talk to your local school board about policies protecting religious accommodations for teachers and staff. Ask if they have a clear, written policy that complies with federal religious liberty protections.
• Share Shawnae Carlisle's story with Christian teachers and educators in your community to encourage them to stand firm in their faith.