Opinion ID: 708076
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Distribution of Gideon Bibles

Text: 28 Lastly, the district court enjoined DISD from: 29 3. leading, authorizing, permitting or condoning the distribution of Bibles to students on school premises and during school hours. 30 DISD argues that this order is flawed for several reasons. We do not reach these arguments, however, because we conclude that the Does lack standing to assert this claim. Although the district court did not address standing, we will consider this jurisdictional issue first. In re Taxable Municipal Bond Securities Litigation, 51 F.3d 518, 521 (5th Cir.1995). 31 The Does concede that Jane Doe was never a member of any class to which the Gideons distributed Bibles; she did not attend fifth grade in the DISD and first enrolled there in the seventh grade. Instead, the Does argue that John Doe has standing to challenge this policy because he pays taxes in support of the DISD. However, under the specific facts at hand, we conclude that John Doe's status as a taxpayer does not vest him with standing. 32 In order to establish state or municipal taxpayer standing to challenge an Establishment Clause violation, a plaintiff must not only show that he pays taxes to the relevant entity, he must also show that tax revenues are expended on the disputed practice. Gonzales, 4 F.3d at 1415-1416. This factor is required to establish both state and municipal taxpayer standing. Cammack v. Waihee, 932 F.2d 765, 770 (9th Cir.1991) (surveying cases); Friedmann v. Sheldon Community School District, 995 F.2d 802, 803 (8th Cir.1993). We find no evidence in the record that even suggests that DISD expends any funds on the Gideons' Bible distribution. The Gideons themselves supply the Bibles and simply lay them on a table on the school foyer. The Gideons do not address the students, the school does not make any announcement informing the students about the Bibles, and no school district employees handle the Bibles. 10 There is no evidence that the school district bought the table especially for the Bible distribution or that the table has been set aside for this sole purpose. In sum, there is nothing in the record that would allow us to conclude that DISD expends any funds or resources on its policy of permitting the Gideons to distribute Bibles to the fifth grade class. 33 For this reason, we conclude that John Doe does not have standing. 11 Accordingly, we vacate the district court's judgment as to DISD's policy on Bible distribution and remand for the court to dismiss that portion of the complaint. 34 For the above reasons, the final judgment and order of the district court is AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED in part for dismissal. 35