In Theory: Elementary school Bible club shut down after atheist group decries it as unconstitutional
A Bible club at Altruria Elementary School in Tennessee has been shut down, following objection from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which claimed the group was unconstitutional, World Religion News reports.
First- and second-graders at the school had been meeting each day before classes began to discuss Christianity and the Bible. However, Bartlett City Schools agreed with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, saying its main reason for shutting down the club was because it wasn’t sponsored by an outside group — a requirement for all religious clubs.
“While this club has been postponed, we are working with the school to ensure the proper steps are taken to allow this club in the 2017-18 school year,” the district said.
In a statement, Nate Kellum, an attorney for the Center for Religious Expression, criticized the district’s decision, saying canceling the club discourages students’ belief and would give them a negative attitude about pursuing church activities.
“The message they are sending these kids is there is something terribly wrong with you wanting to meet and discuss the Bible,” Kellum said.
Q. What do you think about the Freedom From Religious Foundation’s complaint and Kellum’s counterargument? Should the club be permitted to meet?
We have the full freedom to practice religion in this country. Why can’t we be content with that? Why must certain religions, in most cases Christianity, insist on attempts to force their faith on others by pushing it into public schools?
As an atheist, this is offensive to me. Although I personally think there is something wrong with inculcating youth with false dogma, by closing this club nobody is sending the message to kids that “there is something terribly wrong with you wanting to meet and discuss the bible.” They are sending the message that the place for that is not in a public school but in your home or church.
That is an important lesson taught by our country’s founders and enshrined in the Constitution. The Establishment clause was not meant to discriminate against any religion but rather protect every citizen’s right to believe and practice as they wish, Christians, adherents of all religions and nonbelievers alike.
Joshua Lewis Berg
Humanist Celebrant
Glendale
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Instead of shutting down a popular student-driven club the Bartlett City School District should have simply updated its school club regulations and let them continue to meet. It appears the district instead caved in to the intimidation and false claims of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, an obviously biased and antagonistic outside group. The district’s action makes one wonder which group they will cave in to next. Perhaps the line is already forming.
Mr. Kellum’s observation is right on point. How else is a young child to perceive the district’s actions? The district, using the full force of its authority, has sent the strong message to these impressionable children that reading the Bible is wrong and must be stopped. One could argue that their action is actually a state-sponsored promotion of atheism, which in itself is a distinct religious view. That sounds unconstitutional to me.
Hebrews 4:12 states that “the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” It certainly is, and apparently its sting has driven the Freedom From Religious Foundation to lash out against a group of children. Light always exposes the darkness for what it is.
Pastor Jon Barta
Burbank
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The School Board of Bartlett City Schools has a point. Due to the almost universal misreading of the 1st Amendment, public school employees are not allowed, in most cases, to lead religious groups, so private groups, churches, synagogues, mosques, etc., usually send people to act as leaders. They in fact have to be screened for no possible improprieties, but when they pass are allowed to be with the students.
If there are any limitations on access to Bible and prayer, perhaps we should look to the local religious institutions in not providing leaders and leadership in this situation and not attack the public schools for acting as they feel in the best public interest.
Rabbi Mark Sobel
Temple Beth Emet
Burbank
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I have no problem with the complaint nor for that matter with the club, although it needs to be in compliance with the rules governing such activities at that school. However I believe that the Bible, along with the texts of all the other major world religions, should be covered in our schools as the important, often beautiful, sometimes horrific, pieces of human-created masterpieces that they are.
We don’t expect Shakespeare, Jane Austin, Ray Bradbury — picking some random examples — to be taught in after-school clubs. Of course the material needs to be presented neutrally and with respect, yet factually to the extent that there are documented facts underpinning the religions. Curricula in history, social studies and literature could benefit by the inclusion of the world’s important spiritual writings, to the benefit of the students and of our societies.
Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose
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I support the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s fight to discontinue so-called religious clubs like the one in Memphis. Pretending that early elementary students have the ability to maintain their own faith-based organization is just silly. Clearly, this is a case where proselytizing adults are playing evangelical chess using children as pawns.
Faculty-sponsored sectarian clubs that meet during school hours have no place in public schools. Such activities should be limited to after school hours and the organizers should pay rent like other community groups. Further, any intimation that faculty members are endorsing one particular faith tradition over others sends a confusing message to students. Those who participate may be seen as favored and in the right because they are of the same persuasion as the teacher in charge. Those who do not pray and study with the teacher may feel excluded and made vulnerable to the bullying by those who do.
Adults seeking the protection of the state for sectarian proselytizing among children must be weak of faith. How strong can your beliefs be if you need to exploit the captive audience of students to convey your message? Your purpose is better served by instructing your children, at home and in church, to love one another in their interactions with teachers and schoolmates. The fundamentalist fetishizing of creeds and rituals over deeds and actions is inherently divisive. Our schools should teach critical thinking vital to democratic society and not serve as chessboards for scheming adults.
David L. Hostetter, Ph.D.
Vice President, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Verdugo Hills
La Crescenta