Throughout her teaching career, Shawnae Carlisle never had an issue requesting time off for a religious observance.

Carlisle, a science teacher at Southeast Elementary School in Salem, Ohio, is a member of The Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA), which has 12,000 members in over 250 congregations worldwide. It observes Old Testament holidays, including the Feast of Tabernacles each fall, along with four other holy days throughout the year.

For the entirety of Carlisle’s 15 years in the district, she had requested and received approval for these days off without issue and consistently arranged substitute teachers and ensured full coverage for her classes.

That changed in October 2025, when the district denied her request for unpaid leave to observe the Feast of Tabernacles, citing what her legal team described as arbitrary and inconsistent reasons that did not align with its treatment of other teachers.

Unwilling to compromise her beliefs, Carlisle took the time off anyway and secured substitute coverage. The district responded by suspending her without pay for five days.

When asked about her personal conviction for celebrating the holiday despite pressure from school officials, Carlisle said her faith is rooted solely in the teachings of Scripture.

“Based on the teachings of both the Old and New Testament, as well as Christ’s own example, I felt a deep personal conviction to follow God’s commands and walk in the footsteps of my Savior,” she told The Christian Post.

Carlisle said even when administrators refused her request, she knew what she had to do. 

“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,” she said. “Therefore, at the moment my superintendent informed me that my request for unpaid leave would not be granted, I understood clearly what I was still commanded to do.”

Despite her resolve, Carlisle said she was blindsided by the denial, noting she had not previously experienced antagonism toward Christian employees. Lately, however, she said she’s seen her colleagues share similar experiences.

“Since my request was denied, multiple employees have been granted unpaid leave for several days, which raises concerns about inconsistent treatment,” she said.

Last month, the Salem City School District agreed to accommodate Carlisle’s religious observances going forward. The settlement allows her to take unpaid time off for various holy days in accordance with her faith, reversing the prior suspension and removing any pressure to choose between her job and her beliefs.

While her attorneys at First Liberty Institute and the law firm Ashbrook Byrne Kresge Flowers LLC celebrated the outcome, Carlisle said she knows that other teachers may, at some point, find themselves in a similar situation.

She encouraged all teachers and other school employees of faith to engage in “an open and respectful discussion” with school officials to “affirm one’s convictions and clearly explain the situation.”

“This approach,” she added, “ensures that all parties are informed of the teacher’s intentions and may help lead to a reasonable resolution.”

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-teacher-fought-for-her-rights-and-won.html