Students at Kealakehe Intermediate School were offered packets Monday containing a music CD, video tape, Bible, and a number of other books, including one which discredits the theory of evolution.
The materials also were reportedly distributed at Waimea Middle School, and at Kealakehe and Konawaena high schools this week.
In addition, most people in Hawaii received a video tape "Jesus," from the Jesus Video Project, from the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. Videos were mailed statewide beginning April 4 and were expected to be nearly complete by Easter.
West Hawaii Today received a number of telephone calls from people questioning not the content of the items, but the method by which they were distributed. None of them wished to reveal their names for fear of reprisals.
A parent of a child at Kealakehe Intermediate School said her son was handed two packets in a bright yellow package printed with the word, "X" and "beyondextreme.com."
While the parent said she believes students have the right to pass out religious literature to other students, she said adults were also on campus helping with the distribution of the material. She added the package was deceptive because it looked like it had to do with skateboarding extreme sports.
Bob Gentzel, principal at Kealakehe Intermediate, said students certainly have the right to gather and discuss issues such as religion. However, he said his concern was it was an organized event with adults involved.
Gentzel said he did not see adults on campus except when a van came into a parking lot to pick up boxes that contained the materials.
"I'm assuming it was an adult since this is a middle school," he said, "and none of our kids are old enough to drive."
Kelii Akina, spokesman for Youth for Christ Hawaii, an Oahu - based group that coordinated the distribution, was not available for comment Wednesday.
Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen said the Honolulu offices have received similar calls about the material, as well as the fact that adults were participating in distribution.
Knudsen said the Campus Crusade for Christ has been notified adults should not accompany students onto campus to distribute the material. Knudsen said most public schools in Hawaii require adults to check in at the office when they arrive on campus.
But Knudsen said Hamamoto's memo spells out the rights of students.
Hamamoto writes, "...Students have a constitutional right to distribute literature in a peaceful manner as long as the materials are not libelous, obscene, likely to create substantial disorder or invade the rights of others."
Knudsen said people have a misconception that anything religious is not allowed in public schools.
"That is not the case," he said. "There are federal guidelines dealing with this, and the fundamental parameter is that it should not interfere with the business of the school."
The federal guidelines also are not specific to religion, Knudsen said.
"It could be a crafts fair or any other activity on campus," he said. "It could also apply to other faiths."
Asked if the superintendent would defend the right of worshippers of the Devil to pass out literature in a peaceful manner, Knudsen said he was not sure of how such "marginal" groups would be handled.
While that may seem like an extreme case, it is not without precedent in Hawaii. Last year, the dress code of Honolulu's Kaimuki High School came under fire from a number of groups for singling out clothing and accessories that promote Satanism.
A civil rights group, which claimed Satanism is a religion, said the school's policy violated free speech provisions in the Constitution.
Knudsen said the situation could have been used as a test of rights, but the school voluntarily dropped the dress code regulation and the Satanists also stopped pursuing the matter.
White, who said he has received more calls about the Jesus Hawaii Project than any other issue in the last few months, said Satanists certainly should be allowed to distribute literature.
"The question here is whether or not the superintendent's memo is applied equally to all groups," said White. "If it is not, they should call (808) 522 - 5900."
bcommand@westhawaiitoday.com