Valley View Independent School District in Valley View, Texas, will no longer allow a Middle School teacher to give students religious handouts.
A history teacher distributed tracts to his students after teaching them about the Declaration of Independence. The tract was published by the NCCS and included a link to the NCCS website. The National Center for Constitutional Studies is an overtly religious organization that promotes religion under the guise of teaching American history. The website is both religiously and politically charged and includes a list of reasons to oppose same sex marriage. Articles on the site additionally draw egregiously false connections between the Constitution and the bible.
FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover sent a letter on Aug. 29 warning the district that schools may not advance or promote religion:
“Teachers have access to a captive audience of students due to their position as public educators. The district has a duty to regulate religious proselytizing in the classroom.”
On Sept. 10, the superintendent responded that they were looking into alternative pamphlets to distribute in the future and, “. . . VVISD intends to fully protect the rights of all our students and will do everything possible to replace the objectionable materials.”
