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Abstinence program conducted by “Christian Comedian” and paid for by faith-based group is permissible, but school officials warned not to allow proselytizing
Loudoun County, VA – The ACLU of Virginia has asked Loudoun County High School Principal Bill Oblas to offer assurances that an abstinence advocate scheduled to speak at the school next Thursday will not use the opportunity to impose his religious views on students.
The speaker, Keith Deltano, bills himself as a “Christian comedian” who offers a variety of entertaining faith-based programs for young people and parents. The tab for Deltano’s appearance at the school is being picked up by Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, a religiously-based family planning center located in Leesburg.
“There is nothing wrong with abstinence as the topic of the program, and there is nothing wrong with the fact that it is being performed by a self-described Christian comedian or paid for by a faith-based organization,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “But this is a public school, and we are naturally concerned that the religious views of the speaker and the sponsoring organization, both of whom make faith-based arguments for abstinence, will seep into the presentation.”
“We simply want the school to get assurances from the speaker that he will not use the school program to impose his religious beliefs on a captive student audience,” added Willis.
The ACLU’s concerns stem not just from the religious objectives of Deltano and Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, but also from experiences with other faith-based speakers who have offered secular programs at public schools in Virginia and then used the programs to promote their religious views. Last year, twins Rick and Mick provided a free good citizenship program for students at a high school in the Williamsburg area, but used the program -- and the offer of free pizza, soft drinks and door prizes -- to entice students to attend their evangelical event scheduled for later that evening. School officials, unaware of Mick and Rick’s hidden agenda, admitted they were duped by the duo and later vowed not to invite them back.
A similar incident took place in the Charlottesville area several years ago when Rev. Franklin Graham offered a non-religious program at area schools, but recruited volunteers to hand out tickets to his religious revival as students departed.
In a letter from legal director Rebecca Glenberg, the ACLU of Virginia asked Oblas to get assurances from Deltano that there will be no religious references during the school program, no promotion of his religious books and videos or of the Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, and no written or oral invitations to Deltano’s evening programs or other off-campus religious activities. The letter, available at http://acluva.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20061006-Loudoun-Abstinence-Speaker-Letter.pdf, was faxed to Oblas on October 4.
Contact: Kent Willis, 804/644-8022