6.29.2007
Not Ready for Pagans and Atheists?
In December of last year, I reported that a UU Pagan group in Albemarle County, Virginia generated some controversy when they took advantage of new school board rules that allowed the distribution of religious-themed flyers to school children.
"Some local Pagans who attend Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, a Unitarian-Universalist congregation in Charlottesville, decided to take advantage of the new forum as well. They created a one-page flier advertising a Dec. 9 event celebrating the December holidays with a Pagan twist and used the backpack system to invite the entire school community...The flier invites people to 'an educational program for children of all ages (and their adults), where we'll explore the traditions of December and their origins, followed by a Pagan ritual to celebrate Yule.'"
This was all a result of threatened litigation brought by the late Jerry Falwell's Liberty Counsel, when the school refused to allow the distribution of Bible camp literature.
"A letter from the Jerry Falwell-linked Liberty Counsel has prompted the Albemarle County School Board to change its policy. The Board will now allow religious organizations to send home fliers with school children in backpack mail."
But all this "religious freedom" at school isn't going down too well. Pagans were bad enough, but then the atheists got involved!
"The county began allowing religious activity fliers but promised to revisit the issue in a year. And over the past school year, a Pagan flier in December and one for the atheist-oriented Camp Quest this spring sparked more controversy. Superintendent Pam Moran told the School Board her email inbox shut down when a national organization -- Vision America headquartered in Lufkin, Texas -- got wind of the "beyond belief" Camp Quest fliers and flooded her with messages protesting school-abetted "atheistic indoctrination." Technicians had to work over the weekend to get her email back up and running."
So now the Albemarle School Board, not wanting to find out who will try to distribute literature next, has banned all non-school related flyers from their "backpack mail" system. A situation that their teaching staff seems to have preferred all along.
"In the end, distributing religious and nonreligious materials through the schools was miring teachers, principals, administrators, and the Albemarle School Board in controversy. And a majority of School Board members wants to eliminate any fliers that aren't school- or government-related at its June 28 meeting ... 'Last year, 16 out of 16 elementary principals recommended we not do this,' admits Friedman. 'We did not listen.'"
The irony here is that conservative Christians are the ones who pushed for the distribution of religious material at the school, and then complained so loudly about "atheist indoctrination" once other groups took advantage of the system that it had to be ended. So who wants "religious freedom"? It certainly isn't the conservative Christians, who seem to only want freedom if it's their religion.
Labels: Albemarle School Board, atheism, Jerry Falwell, Paganism, Religious Freedom, Unitarian-Universalism, Virginia
4.04.2007
Keeping Kids Away From Pagans (and Gays)
The Family Policy Network, a conservative Christian advocacy group, has released a position paper regarding its support for "parental rights" bills being proposed in Virginia and Tennessee. The main issue regards after-school clubs at public schools, recent court rulings have allowed for the existence of gay-straight alliances and non-Christian religious fellowships alongside more traditional clubs (SADD, 4-H, Fellowship of Christian Atheletes).
"...scores of public school children have learned important values and engaged in meaningful community service as a result of their participation in school-based clubs. The number and scope of school clubs has increased dramatically in recent years. Currently, clubs promoting astrology, atheism, feminism, homosexuality and even witchcraft are common in public schools, and have often alarmed parents, teachers and administrators in school districts throughout the nation."
Since "traditional" values (read: Christian and conservative) are no longer the sole voice in after-school clubs, the FPN wants a comprehensive notification and "opt-out" policy for all students.
"Working with parents, educators and legislators; Family Policy Network has drafted a legislative proposal to require school officials to inform parents of school-based clubs, and ultimately to guarantee a parent's ability to determine whether their own child may participate... FPN's model legislation requires school districts to give parents information about all non-academic activities in which their child may participate. Parents must be notified of the name of each available club, its mission statement, and cost of participation (if any). Additionally, schools must provide a list of any and all faculty or other adult sponsors involved with each club; as well as any local, regional, state or national organizations with which the club is affiliated and/or associated."
It might seem fair until your learn that FPN is quick to state that this is "opt-out" only, and they do not advocate "permission slips" or "opt-in" legislation since that could hurt participation in clubs run by their supporters. Under legislation such as this, each parent could tick off a list of groups that the child isn't allowed to participate in (enforced I would assume by the school). So a Democratic-leaning child of Republicans could be barred from attending a Democrat club, and a Christian child could be allowed to only attend Christian clubs.
"FPN does not support these "opt-in" proposals because they create an undue burden for popular and wholesome clubs like the Key Club or FCA. In order to hold accountable a controversial club that may never have more than 20 or 30 participants, the opt-in legislation has the potential to harm the ability for wholesome clubs like FCA or Key Club to reach hundreds of students."
Again, this may seem "fair" on the surface, but it favors the majority, removes autonomy of thought and association from (predominantly teenage) children, targets parents and teachers who want to support controversial clubs, and works to isolate and eliminate any club that may run counter to a dominant local ideology. For while a well-mobilized Christian community may "opt-out" their children from anything left-leaning, non-Christian, or outside their social norms, Pagan parents or parents of gay children are generally more likely to allow their children to attend a Christian club if they so desire. Thus allowing free reign to "wholesome" groups while choking off membership in more controversial clubs.
This isn't about "parental rights" it is about politicians scoring points with conservative Christians and creating laws that work to eliminate support networks for teens who may hold different views from their parents.
Labels: Christianity, Family Policy Network, LGBT, Paganism, Tennessee, Virginia, Wicca, Witchcraft
