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Lynchburg, VA— The ACLU of Virginia and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have asked Lynchburg City Public Schools to rescind a longstanding policy permitting private organizations to distribute Bibles and other religious materials at elementary schools.
Lynchburg school officials announced recently that they are reviewing their religious materials distribution policy. The policy has been openly criticized by civil liberties groups and some parents since November 2005,when it was discovered that Gideons International set up a table with Bibles at Robert S. Payne Elementary and other area schools.
“Under very specific and carefully controlled circumstances, private organizations may be allowed to enter school property to make religious materials available to middle and high school students,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis, “but under no conditions may such materials be given to elementary school children.”
While no school can be compelled to allow private groups on campus to distribute informational materials, the courts have generally held that public schools that do allow such groups onto school property cannot discriminate against religious organizations that wish to do the same. However, no court has allowed the Gideons or any other religious organization to distribute religious materials to elementary school students.
“We must keep in mind that religious freedom is only protected fully when the government remains neutral, neither promoting nor inhibiting religious activities,” added Willis. “High school students understand that Bibles being made available by the Gideons are coming from a private religious institution, not from the school. For elementary school students, however, any item handed out at school is likely to be perceived as being the product of, or at least endorsed by, the school.”
“In the end, it is parents who should decide what religious materials their children should receive, not the school system,” said Willis.
This is not the first time Bible distribution polices have been questioned in Lynchburg. In 2004, parents met with then Superintendent James McCormick to express concerns about distribution of Bibles at elementary schools.
The letter sent by ACLU of Virginia legal director Rebecca K. Glenberg and Americans United for Separation of Church and State assistant legal director Richard B. Katskee to Lynchburg City School Board Chairwoman Julie P. Doyle and Superintendent Paul McKendrick can be found at http://acluva.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20060306-Lynchburg-Bibles.pdf.
Contact: Kent Willis, Office: 804/644-8022