Kansas City, Kan. ? A southeast Kansas school district must give a Christian club the same access to school facilities that other groups receive, a federal judge has ruled.

The Pleasanton School District has been allowing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club to meet at Pleasanton High School before and after classes and to post signs announcing its meetings.

Kristie McKee, a mother of three students in the district, filed suit claiming the district was denying the club the rights and privileges that had been granted to other noncurriculum clubs.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia agreed. In an order Friday granting McKee’s motion for a preliminary injunction, Murguia noted the privileges and access the school has granted to other noncurriculum groups, such as the photo club and the prom planning committee.

McKee has two children at the high school who are members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club. Her other child is a kindergarten pupil who hopes eventually to be a member of the high school club, according to court documents.

Attorney Terelle A. Mock, of Topeka, representing the school district, argued at Friday’s hearing that the high school sponsors student groups that are related only to the curriculum. She said the restrictions on the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club were unrelated to its status as religion-based.

The McKees’ attorney, Joel L. Oster, of Leawood, said they were excited about the ruling.

“Equal access means equal access, and the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) should not be discriminated against just because they want to have a Christian club,” Oster said after the hearing.

Despite the district’s claims, Oster said this case was about religious issues.

“The message we want to get out there is that Christians are not second-class citizens ,” Oster said. “They are entitled to their views, and they are entitled to free expression of those views.”