2022 Huntington High School walkouts

Students raised objections that the assembly amounted to school endorsement of religion, which they argued conflicted with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The assembly drew rapid attention from parents, students, and national civil liberties organizations, who questioned the approval process for the event and whether students had been given a meaningful opportunity to opt out without facing pressure or consequences.^[7]

On February 9, 2022, Max Nibert, Cameron Mays, and Samuel Felinton led hundreds of students in a coordinated walkout that continued over several school days.^[8] Students left the building and gathered outside the school, holding signs and chanting slogans calling for religious freedom and the separation of church and state.^[9] Media coverage highlighted Nibert and Felinton's leadership, noting that Felinton, who is Jewish, objected to being required to attend the assembly. Both students described the protest as focused on constitutional protections and ensuring religious neutrality in public education.^[10]

The walkout prompted responses from school district officials, who stated that participation in the religious assembly had been voluntary and that the policies were under review.^[11] The incident also drew commentary from national organizations focused on civil liberties and religious freedom, which argued that the assembly raised constitutional concerns.^[12]

Following the walkout, the controversy led to increased scrutiny of school-sponsored events involving religious content. The incident became a frequently cited example in discussions of student activism and Establishment Clause issues in American public schools,^[13] and it also resulted in a lawsuit, alongside Freedom from Religion Foundation, which banned teacher-sponsored religious events within Cabell County schools.^[14][15][16]