Wilberforce Academy of Knoxville v. Knox County Board of Education

Wilberforce Academy of Knoxville v. Knox County Board of Education, was filed in November 2025 by a religious organization that wants to run a public charter school—funded by taxpayers—that, according to the school’s own complaint, would provide an “explicitly biblical and Christian education.”

The group of taxpayers represented by the ACLU, ACLU of Tennessee, and partners were granted permission in January 2026 to join the lawsuit on the side of the defendants, the Knox County Board of Education and its members. Their motion to intervene explains that charter schools are part of Knox County’s public education system, and as such, cannot advance religious doctrine. Like all public schools, charter schools must accept and serve all students and may not be run as religious schools. They asked to participate in this case in order to safeguard these interests.

The taxpayers are represented by Education Law Center, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Tennessee, Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the law firm Morrison Foerster pro bono.