A graduating senior from Arrowhead High School in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, claims she was subjected to religious discrimination when school officials denied her request to include a Bible verse in her graduation ceremony slideshow. Sarianne Beronja, a member of the graduating class of 2026, sought to have Proverbs 3:6 – "In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path" – displayed alongside her photo.
Beronja stated that less than 24 hours before the commencement ceremony, an associate principal informed her that religious messages were not permitted due to the district's neutrality policy. She also reported being told she could not use an alternative message expressing gratitude to God for his support over the past four years.
Superintendent Conrad Farner explained that religious and political messages were excluded from the slideshow because it constituted "school-sponsored speech." He indicated that students received clear instructions to limit their messages to family thank-yous and future plans, emphasizing that the slideshow was not intended as a forum for any religious or political viewpoints.
Farner referenced the 1988 Supreme Court ruling in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, which allows school administrators to restrict school-sponsored expression if it is reasonably related to legitimate educational concerns. The superintendent argued that permitting religious or political expression could disrupt the graduation ceremony and potentially lead to students bringing signs or buttons expressing their views.
Following this incident, the school district has decided to discontinue the use of a slideshow at future graduation ceremonies.
However, Beronja and her mother, with assistance from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), are contesting the district's policy. They assert that the school has inconsistently applied its policy in the past, allowing other students to include Bible verses and expressions of faith in previous ceremonies. WILL contends that the school district's actions violate the student's First Amendment rights, stating that a school cannot exclude religious viewpoints while permitting comparable non-religious speech once it provides an opportunity for student expression.
WILL has formally requested that the Arrowhead Union High School District revise its policy to ensure students of faith receive the same constitutional protections as other students. The organization has indicated its readiness to pursue legal action if the district does not comply.