Nation: School bans free Bible distribution

NANDO ^ | MAY 22 2002 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Nation: School bans free Bible distribution

WAYLAND, Mich. (May 22, 2002 12:13 a.m. EDT) - A school superintendent has told Gideons International to stop its annual practice of handing out Bibles to fifth-graders.

Two members of the Gideons, the Nashville, Tenn.-based group that places Bibles in hotel rooms, had planned to distribute them to students at the Pine Street School, as they had done each spring since around 1990.

But after a parent complained to the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU wrote a letter to the district, the Gideons were notified by Wayland Union Schools Superintendent Thomas Tarnutzer that the distribution was off.

The ACLU said the practice violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

Tarnutzer said the school board supported his decision.

"I can't understand the objection when parents approve it," said the Gideons' Dale Armintrout, who taught at Wayland Union High before retiring in 1985.

He said he was unsure if the group would pursue another way to get the Bibles to students.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Yet another attack to supress god from the masses !

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

If they were distributing them on the sidewalk in front of the school then the ACLJ will have 'em back in business in no time.

I find it hard to believe they were doing it on school property. Nowadays no school administrator has the cajones to do that.

[let freedom sing]

If the students and their parents want the Bibles, they'll figure out a way to distribute.

[Dimensio]

What I can't find is information on the nature of the distribution -- whether the Gideons had received special permission to distribute the Bibles (they usually just distribute the New Testament, actually) or if it was in a medium in which anyone could distribute any literature of their choosing.

[VRWC_minion]

Equip the children with condoms but God forbid we equip them with proverbs.

[VRWC_minion]

What I can't find is information on the nature of the distribution -- whether the Gideons had received special permission to distribute the Bibles (they usually just distribute the New Testament, actually) or if it was in a medium in which anyone could distribute any literature of their choosing.

I would think that if the school allows and group to distribute materials to the children then they would be obligated to allow distributions of bibles. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other non-profits have the school distribute materials to children all the time. To zero in on one group because of religion would be wrong.

This same principle has been held to apply to the use of the school where if the school is available to any public groups it must be available to religious groups as well.

[serinde]

I find it hard to believe they were doing it on school property.

My dad is in the Gideons, and they are VERY careful to stay off school property when handing out the Bibles. That doesn't stop school administrators from forcing them to leave, though, even when the Gideons aren't breaking the law.

[galt-jw]

"If anyone should keep the little children from Me, it is better they had a millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea."

cant remember verse.

[galt-jw]

have to leave now, but someone might post link to gideons or 800 number. i think ill send em some cash.

[Avg_Joe_6-pack_Couch_Potatoe]

...NOR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF...

[Houmatt]

Two members of the Gideons, the Nashville, Tenn.-based group that places Bibles in hotel rooms, had planned to distribute them to students at the Pine Street School, as they had done each spring since around 1990.

But after a parent complained to the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU wrote a letter to the district, the Gideons were notified by Wayland Union Schools Superintendent Thomas Tarnutzer that the distribution was off.

So, again, we have ONE person dictating to everyone else what they can and cannot do. No more Bible distribution (which had gone on for 11 years) because one person objected. One.

And she could not simply say "No, thank you," oh, no. She had to make sure ALL kids are denied the Word of God.

As someone else suggested, stand on the sidewalk and hand them out anyway. Let this selfish, arrogant woman have as much of a spaz as she wants to, and be told nothing can be done about it because they are not on school property. There is nothing here illicit or illegal. Just the Holy Bible. If you do not like it, madam, just remember nobody is forcing you to own or even read it. And if your child a few years down the road is into all kinds of trouble and you do not know why or how or what to do about it, go ahead and refuse to see any correlation.

"If you want to see kids live right, stop handing out condoms, and start handing out the Word of God in schools!" --- Carmen, "America Again"

[KentuckyWoman]

This is simply outrageous!! The nice folks at Gideons have been handing out small copies of the New Testament since WAY before I was in elementary school in the 1960s! Of course, we also opened each and every school day with a prayer (not silent, mind you, but led over the PA system by the principle or a student) and the Pledge of Allegience and NO ONE had a problem with it. Isn't is odd how this "seperation of church and state" wasn't "discovered" in the US Constitution until the late sixties or early seventies and WHY oh WHY are we allowing our Country and our culture to be hijacked by whiney, loud-mouthed imbeciles in some "minority" or the other. This Country may not have been founded as a "Christian Nation", per se, but it was definitely founded on Christian principles and teachings! Where do these idiots think the Continental Congress came up with the idea that our RIGHTS are given to us by our CREATOR and not by some government entity and that's why it was plainly stated that our government could NOT infringe on any of them? Geez, but this particular brand of idiocy makes my blood boil!!

note to self: dontate to the Gideons IN PERSON today at lunch....

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Why do they leave if they aren't breaking the law? Why don't they carry a copy of the several SCOTUS rulings that allow them to do their work from the sidewalk?

[EternalVigilance]

This is the outcome of the fallacy that government should have any involvement in brainwashin...er...education.

Let's see...the statists want control of education: the MIND.

They want control of healthcare: the BODY.

They want control of the land via environmental control: our FOOD SUPPLY.

They want control over our business affairs in their entirety, via the tax system and monetary policy: our MONEY and PERSONAL BUSINESS.

They want control of political speech (via CFR and campaign regs): our SOVEREIGNTY AS CITIZENS.

Kinda looks to me like they've already got just about everything they want.

[CFW]

Meet your 2001-2002 Superintendent of Schools

[BibChr]

Here's the way it is:

• When a Christian protests something, he's "just one person"
• When just one person protests something Christian, he's a "persecuted minority"

All clear now?

Dan

[EternalVigilance]

Good point!

And when a bunch of Christians protest something they are 'vast right-wing conspiracy'!

;-)

[Zubercyber]

Duh !

[Mr. Wright]

Hey, I wonder if he would ask them to stop if they were handing out "gay and lesbian" information, Playboy or Penthouse Magazine, or a free copy of "Homosexual Weekly"?