COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -A Rampart High School senior says she was denied the chance to include her faith in her senior parking space design, and her family’s attorneys are now challenging the decision.

Senior Sophia Shumaker says her original sketch featured a shepherd, a staff, a sheep, and the Bible text of 1 Corinthians 13:4. She says the design was rejected because Rampart High School’s guidelines prohibit anything considered “offensive, negative, rude, gang-related, political, or religious.”

When Shumaker tried again with only the verse reference, she says that version was also denied. She eventually painted a different design, a group of fish, with one swimming against the crowd, which she says quietly represents her faith.

Attorneys with First Liberty Institute, a national law firm focused on religious liberty cases, sent a demand letter to Academy School District 20 on Tuesday. The letter argues that denying Shumaker’s design violates her First Amendment rights to free speech and religious expression.

“It’s important that educators know how to deal with this,” Keisha Russell, senior counsel with First Liberty Institute, said. “It’s part of their job to teach students how the First Amendment applies to them, so they can take that into the real world and use it.”

In an interview with 11 News, Shumaker said she hopes her situation encourages other students to stand up for what they believe in.

“My identity, everything about me, is through Christ. I just wanted that to be represented in my parking space,” Shumaker said.

In a statement to KKTV 11 News, Academy District 20 said:

“Academy District 20 is aware of an attorney letter regarding a Rampart High School student parking spot design. We do not comment on potential legal matters or individual student situations but confirm that we are reviewing the information provided. Although Academy District 20 was not contacted by a family or student about this concern and did not receive the attorney’s letter prior to Oct. 22, we can share that Rampart High School’s senior parking-spot program is a school-sponsored activity with content guidelines and a staff approval process.”

First Liberty’s letter asks the district to allow Shumaker to repaint her parking space with her original design and to revise its policy banning religious messages. The district has until October 31 to respond.