*BEFORE you read: I am a Christain. I love me some Jesus.
After calling my children’s school district to find out more about a ‘Release Time’ christian education trailer parked at a park near school property, I learned many many things.
1. I learned that while the school allows children to leave campus and go to this ‘trailer’ during lunch it does not consider that an endorsement of a particular religion.
2. I learned that the school district does no background/security checks on the volunteers/workers of “Release Time”. No idea if they are on the sexual predator list or not. No idea who they are at all.
3. I learned that even though the trailer was parked in what looked like a city park- the school has a shared use agreement with the city and therefore it is school property until 4:00 each day.
And when I asked how this organization was going to promote their ‘education’, I was told they would be sending home a flyer to the students. So I asked “how is that possible with the separation of church and state?” and Mr. District said “any non profit group can send out district approved flyers to the children”. I thought for a minute and said “SO lets say I am a NAZI. But I am a non-profit NAZI with a NAZI organization I would be able to send home flyers to ALL the CHILDREN in the SCHOOL DISTRICT?”. I was met with silence and then a weak “well, YES.” Seems to me there is a real problem with their policy.
Hello. CHURCH and STATE? I am a Jesus loving Christian – and this trailer
recruitment offends me. Who the heck are these people trying to recruit my kids into their trailer? Isn’t that just a large creepier version of the scary guy and his van? Gosh I hope they don’t give out candy too. And what about the poor Muslim kid? Or the Jewish child? Don’t you think they are going to feel displaced by this even though the district says it isn’t but it is ENDORSEMENT of Christianity? Makes me sad. And well, the whole thing scares me. But what do you think?
*Don’t forget to subscribe for a free lifetime membership in The Glamorous Life Association. We are a non-denominational organization and will never lure your children into a trailer. Promise.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I went to Released Time when I was in elementary school in OC, and a woman in my church is a local organizer for Released Time closer to my area. I hear and understand your concerns, however every experience I have had with that organization is extremely positive. I don’t know for sure but from what I understand the people that are in the trailers as teachers are screened by the RT organization.
I would have checked them out too….you can never be too careful.
Of course, I am a part of that movement and ….
Just kidding, never heard of it!
I agree with you. It’s weird.
oh, girl. i love to tilt me some windmills on 1st amendment issues, and this one sends me into orbit. two years ago, my DD, then 7, came home and asked: “mama, why is there a picture of jesus under the american flag in my (public school) classroom?” i asked her how she knew it was jesus. “well,” she said, “he’s in a barn with his mom and dad and animals.” i thought for a second. i mean, it could be a harmless farm scene, right? then my beloved spouse, a veteran of St. Rose of Lima, looked at girlfriend. “honey,” he gently asked, “was there anything around the baby’s head?” “oh yes,” she replied. “a circle.”
bingo.
apparently, in our state, you can have a picture of a religious symbol if you have a picture of EVERY religious symbol, which is patently impossible. thank Dog. the picture went down. the teacher then proceeded to harass my daughter (who is jewish) and her friend (who is muslim) for the remainder of the year. she probably figured one or the other was responsible for the removal of the picture. we ended up leaving the school.
if my seven year old child could figure out that this would upset her friends who were jewish, muslim, atheist, or otherwise, then how the HELL can’t grownups figure that out?
those people in the trailers could be freaking PHds in theology for all i care. having their presence on school property is tantamount to the school endorsing christianity. there’s obviously nothing wrong with religion; if it is a priority for parents to have their kids exposed to it, it’s their responsibility to make that happen **after school hours and not on school property.**
oh, this makes me so sad. and angry.
This is outrageous. I see no reason why those people should be there. Good for you for checking into this. Please keep us posted.
DONT STOP! Write a letter to you school Board. Go to the school Board meeting, gather other intelligent parents together and do something about this.
I don’t know where you are but in California it is totally against Ed. Code and if you need help finding the Ed. Code for your state let me know. I will definately help you with this.
One of the bajillion reasons I am dreading the start of school. Because this fuh-reeeeeks me out. No no no no no. Not cool. And I’m afraid that, were I in your shoes, I wouldn’t be able to handle it in an appropriately calm and collected professional-parent way.
Outrageous! Why are they recruiting children anyway? They can’t sell their baloney to anyone else? Religion should be family centered and under parental supervision and choice. I would lose it if I saw this at my kids school.
Isn’t it sad that religious groups have to resort to recruiting children on school property. It one thing for someone to knock on your door and hand you your literature, but an unsupervised child in a van? This means our children while under the guise of education are being exposed to people and ideas their parents might not find suitable. I find it hard to swallow that this is ok, but I had to get my parents permission to read Tom Sawyer in high school.
I’m pagan, so maybe I’ve got a skewed view on this. Maybe I shouldn’t answer at all.
But, what the hey, why not?
I am all about the equal access. If a Christian trailer is taking up city land, then the city has an obligation to make certain that every religion, faith, philosophy, or spirituality attending the school is equally represented. Is there a Jewish trailer? A Muslim one? One for the Ba’hai? The Pagans? The Agnostics or Atheists? Do Buddhists have space? Taoists? Followers of Shinto?
I have never minded Christian student groups meeting and having events on school property – groups formed by and for students can be very beneficial – I mind the denial of access or equality to similar groups.
I guess I have a sort of all-or-nothing mentality about it. I would prefer all, but sadly we usually end up with nothing – I say sadly because I do think a spiritual life is necessary, especially during time of turmoil or upheaval (and childhood can be the very definition of those things).
What concerns me more is the lack of oversight, the lack of background checks on the people who are (ahem) exposing young, impressionable minds to something as deeply personal as religion/faith/spirituality…and who knows what else??
I would NOT permit my child access to such a potential for horror, eve if we weren’t Pagan, because it just doesn’t seem to be very well thought out.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Aww, nertz – of course I posted and then had another thought:
I also happen to think that it’s wholly inappropriate to proselytize to children.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
I love Jesus too. And I am with you on this.
Jesus is my man.
But that is a little weird, I would write my school board.
Yikes! I am a Jesus Freak and am completely Weirded Out by having a trailer of any kind near a school. One more confirmation of our choice to homeschool.
That is so wrong on so many levels! I would not let this one get by. Children should not be subjected to this on school grounds for any reason.
First of all, that picture of the van is going to give me nightmares all night, thanks.
Second, this is weird. I haven’t heard of it before and just because they slap “Christian’ in there doesn’t really tell you a lot about who they are.
Good for you for finding out more–as usual. You’re so good.
Holy crap! (and yes, I do mean “holy”)
How can this be even remotely legal?
Call me old-fashioned, but I like my church and state separate.
SO late to this party, but again I applaud your cojones, Miss Marcy. Way to make the guy sweat, and keep going!
I’m with Kyddryn on this: it has never bothered me to have religious groups present on campus — as long as ANY religious group is given equal access — though I am at heart a separation of church and state person. But I think it’s necessary to define which campus: HIGH SCHOOL. By then kids are in clubs and old enough to discern their own interests. Younger than high school it should be completely separate.
Background checks run by the organization are probably in place, as Headless Mom said, but the school district cannot rely on them. They need to run their own checks against all lists, and permission slips from the parents need to be signed before the kids can partake. Duh.
Also? Aren’t they teaching the wrong thing? “It’s okay to leave campus to get into a stranger’s van.” Even if these people are stellar, as they likely are, this sends exactly the wrong message.
Climbing down off of your soapbox, and thank you for your time. YAY MARCY! GO GET ‘EM, GIRL!!