JOPLIN, Mo. – A Washington, D.C. atheist group successfully shut down a before school Bible study at a Missouri middle school by threatening legal action against the school district.

The American Humanist Association’s legal center sent a nine-page letter to Joplin School District Superintendent Norm Ridder and North Middle School Matthew Harding last month regarding a Bible study at the school held before classes on Thursdays that offered donuts to participants, alleging the gathering violates the U.S. Constitution, the News-Leader reports.

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The group alleges the parent of a daughter at the school was offended by the “unconstitutional” before school activity, and Humanist executive director Roy Speckhardt demanded an end to the program.

“Enticing students to Bible studies with donuts is deceitful and inappropriate during school hours,” he said. “Teachers should treat all of their students equally rather than giving out special treats to students who participate in Christian activities.”

The Humanists received all information second-hand but alleged the activity was led by school and religious leaders, who allegedly goaded students into praying and learning about scripture and religious symbols.

The group sued the school district last year over when school officials sent students on an allegedly “unconstitutional” field trip to a religious sports complex and that lawsuit is still pending.

AHA officials demanded an answer regarding the Bible study at North Middle School within seven days, and district officials responded by killing the program and others like it at other schools on Monday. District officials justified the decision in a news release citing a district policy – put in place in March – that limits such student-led initiatives to grades 9-12, and said staff at North Middle School were unaware of the change.

“As a result, we have suspended the Bible study as it is currently organized,” the statement read, according to the News-Leader. “Community groups that wish to host activities such as this, or other types of events or activities, at our schools may do so by complying with our facilities use policy.”

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Humanist legal director David Niose celebrated the decision.

“We are pleased that the program has stopped, but disappointed that the district, perhaps in an attempt to save face, has falsely described the program as lawful. In fact, the program was very much adult-led and clearly unconstitutional,” Noise wrote in a news release. “Nevertheless, the important outcome is that the school will no longer be promoting Christianity and luring children to Christian meetings with promises of special treats.”

Locals sounded off about the situation online.

“The greater violation committed here was the denial of ‘The free exercise thereof’ written 200 years prior,” Steve Rogers wrote. “Therefore the school policy is unconstitutional. Just another hate attack on religion.”

“ … Let’s be honest here. The American Humanist Association is a blatantly anti-Christian organization much like the ACLU. I take issue with the biased opinion that donuts are a ‘bribe,’” Tony Washington added.

“That is their definition and the sole basis for bringing the threat of a lawsuit,” he wrote. “It’s truly pitiful that this is the state of where we are as a society. I’m also saddened that Joplin School District didn’t do more to protect its students from these ridiculous threats.”