The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that teachers at a Wisconsin high school end their involvement in a student religious club.

A concerned member informed FFRF that School District of Onalaska employees participate in the student religious club Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Onalaska High School. Local media have stated that both Josh Lichty, freshmen football coach and fifth-grade teacher at Northern Hills Elementary, and high school teacher Amanda Steele "participated in the discussions" about prayer with students at a recent Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting in Steele's classroom. Lichty reportedly asked students "how and why they prayed," and counseled them that "a big step is praying before an event with your team. Then you as a team are playing for something bigger than a 'W.' What you are doing is showing His light everywhere." Lichty went on to recommend that students pray in the morning rather than getting extra sleep.

It is unconstitutional for district employees to participate in student religious clubs, even if those clubs meet during noninstructional time.

"It is well settled that public schools may not advance, prefer, or promote religion," FFRF Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne writes to Superintendent Fran Finco. "Students are permitted to form religious clubs, but the district may not endorse, or appear to endorse, those clubs. To avoid the appearance of endorsing a religious club, the district may not allow teachers or outside adults to be involved in student religious clubs beyond a supervisory capacity."

FFRF adds that the Equal Access Act, which allows the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club to form, requires that "employees or agents of the school or government are present at religious meetings only in a nonparticipatory capacity." Any school religious groups must be bona fide student clubs that are both student-initiated and student-run.

FFRF is asking for assurances that Lichty and Steele will not be present at future Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings, and that any staff members who chaperone club meetings in the future will not participate. Since Lichty and Steele freely admitted their transgression to the local media, FFRF also requests that the club be assigned a new faculty sponsor who will adhere to the Equal Access Act and the U.S. Constitution.

"It is important for teachers to not flout constitutional principles," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "The school district needs to enforce that."

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a Madison-based national nonprofit that works to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It represents more than 28,000 members across the country, including 1,400-plus in Wisconsin.

The event is being sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and will be co-hosted by FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor.

Dan Barker

Dan Barker, FFRF co-president, is the author of Life Driven Purpose: How an Atheist Finds Meaning, an answer to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. A talented pianist and songwriter, Dan has recorded three music CDs for FFRF. Dan has a degree in religion from Azusa Pacific University, worked as a missionary and assistant minister, and had a musical ministry until he “just lost faith in faith” in his early 30s. He joined FFRF’s staff in 1987, and in 2004 became FFRF co-president with Annie Laurie Gaylor. His other books include Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, Godless, the Good Atheist and God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction. 

John de Lancie

Mr. de Lancie’s film credits include, in part: “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle”, “The Fisher King”, The Onion Field”, “Taking Care of Business”, “Fearless”, “Multiplicity”, "Women on Top", “The Big Time”, “Reign on Me”, “Pathology”. John has appeared in numerous television shows including; “The Librarians”, “Torchwood”, “Breaking Bad”, “West Wing", “Star Trek”, “Legend”. He has been a member of The American Shakespeare Company, The Seattle Repertory Company, The South Coast Repertory, The Mark Taper Forum and the Old Globe.

In the world of music, Mr. de Lancie has performed with most of the major symphony orchestras in American, Canada and Australia. He was the host of the L.A. Philharmonic "Symphonies for Youth" as well as writer/director of "First Nights", a concert series at Disney Hall. Mr. de Lancie was co-owner, with Leonard Nimoy, of Alien Voices; a production company devoted to the dramatization of classic Sci-Fi. Mr. de Lancie has directed a number of operas as well as produced the Netflix documentary on the wonderful phenomenon of Bronies.

William Dusenberry

William Dusenberry, professor emeritus, first called to the attention of secular groups and Zenos Frudakis the omission of a statue of Clarence Darrow on the grounds of the Rhea County Courthouse. He is an FFRF Celebrant who now lives in Tulsa, Okla. He will be introduced at the dinner party to say a few words.

Zenos Frudakis

Zenos Frudakis is a renowned sculptor known for his public monuments, portrait statues, busts and figurative sculptures. He has created an extensive award-winning collection of more than 100 bronze sculptures in public and private collections. His work includes sculptures of historic figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, General Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill. Freedom, his best known sculpture, has become an Internet icon inspiring many in their quest to break free from boundaries. It has been listed in The Top Ten: Public Art by The Independent.

The oldest of five children growing up in Greek culture, Zenos admired, respected, and was drawn to Greek sculpture. Greek art influenced his aesthetic vision; additional inspiration came from sculptors Michaelangelo, Bernini, Carpeaux and Rodin. Zenos studied by scholarship at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, completing his formal education with a Bachelor in Fine Art and a Master in Fine Art at the University of Pennsylvania.

Zenos' emphasis has been the figure and the portrait. He excels at expressing the character and vitality of his subjects while capturing an accurate likeness. Zenos portfolio includes figure sculpture, animals, bas-reliefs, portraits—both busts and paintings—of living and historical individuals, and poetic/philosophical sculpture with a post-modern sensibility.

Although Zenos creates personal, expressive works of art, he is a commissioned artist with wide-ranging versatility capable of sculpting subjects from the human form to animals.

Nicole Jacobson

Nicole, a guest of honor, is a college student whose family took part as the "Does" in FFRF v. Rhea County, a federal lawsuit that ended illegal bible instruction in Dayton schools. The federal lawsuit resulted in a firm ruling against the practice, a legacy of the Scopes Trial involving bible students from William Jennings Bryan Bible College going into the public schools, by both a district court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Dean Andrew Kersten

Andrew Kersten, author of the 2011 biography, "Clarence Darrow: American Iconoclast," is the Dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Idaho, Moscow. He is a U.S. political historian who has specialized in modern US history (1880s through the 20th Century) focusing on the political history of workers and work, US immigration history, the Great Depression and World War II, civil rights, labor unions, and presidential history. His research agenda has centered on the history of the struggles for equality and equity and how those struggles have affected average people as well as American politics and culture.  His is B.A. in history is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his M.A. and Ph.D. from University of Cincinnati, 1993 and 1997 respectively.

Friday, July 14 marks the first day of the 29th annual Scopes Trial Play and Festival. Following the dedication of the Clarence Darrow statue that Friday, you may wish to attend the reenactment of the Scopes Trial play, performed annually in the historic court-house where the Scopes Trial took place in Dayton, Tenn.

The play is performed two weekends in a row, July 14-15 and July 22-23 at the Rhea County Courthouse, 1475 Market St., Dayton TN 37321. Space is limited. Reserve promptly to avoid disappointment.

Purchase tickets when available directly from the Tennessee Valley Theater at 423.365.PLAY (7529). Website: scopesfestival.com

The historic courthouse and museum may be toured, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

$45 includes 20 percent service charge and 9.25 percent state tax

Suitable for vegetarians.

• Confetti Cole Slaw
• Three Bean Salad
• Panzanella Salad (Chattanooga Sourdough)
• Cajun Fried Turkey Breast, Blackened Turkey Gravy
• Marinated Pork Shoulder, Carolina Clear BBQ
• Slow Cooked Roast Beef, Pan Sauce
• Classic Mac n' Cheese with Aged Cheddar & Gruyère Cheese
• Beer Braised Collards
• Sweet Potato Mash with Brown Sugar-Maple Butter & Pecans
• Fried Green Tomato Slices, Roasted Red Pepper Chèvre Remoulade Cornbread Muffins, Honey Butter | Yeast Rolls | Biscuits
• Includes coffee, tea, sweet tea, & desserts: Strawberry Short Cake | Banana Pudding | Fried Apple Pies | Pecan Pie

The Chattanoogan Hotel

1201 Broad St.
Chattanooga, Tennessee

The event takes place at the Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 Broad St., Chattanooga, Tennessee,(800) 619-0018. Although a courtesy bloc at a special rate at that hotel has sold out, there are still some rooms available on Thursday, July 13 at regular rates.

There are many other hotels and motels in Chattanooga. Just a block away are the Marriot and Staybridge Suites. You may wish to check hotels.com, booking.com, tripadvisor.com or other online booking sources to check out the many other downtown Chattanooga accommodations or area options. Chattanooga is about 40 miles from Dayton, Tenn.

Downtown Chattanooga has lots of charm, offers attractions and easy walking, a variety of restaurants, an aquarium, a riverfront, an art district and pedestrian bridge.

Chattanoogan Hotel, 1201 Broad St.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Thursday, July 13
Registration at 6:00 PM

Buffet Dinner 6:45 PM

Dinner Party Details

You're cordially invited to a Chattanooga dinner party celebrating the installation on July 13 of a statue of the famed Scopes Trial litigator in Dayton, Tenn. The public dedication of the statue will take place the next day in Dayton on Friday, July 14. Dayton is about 40 miles from Chattanooga.

Talented sculptor Zenos Frudakis will give a short visual presentation at the dinner party. Co-President Dan Barker will entertain at the piano. Also speaking is Andrew Kersten, dean of College and Letters at the University of Idaho-Moscow and author of the 2011 biography, "Clarence Darrow: American Iconoclast." Guest of honor will be Nicole Jacobsen, who grew up in Dayton and whose family were the unnamed plaintiffs in FFRF's federal lawsuit ending a legacy of the Scopes trial — weekly bible instruction in the public schools by bible students from William Jennings Bryan Bible College. FFRF, Nicole and her brave family won the case at the district level and at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2004.

Where to stay

A courtesy bloc of rooms has sold out at The Chattanoogan Hotel, site of the dinner party. There are still some rooms available on Thursday, July 13 at regular rates at the Chattanoogan.

Scopes Play

Participants who attend the Friday, July 14 dedication may wish to view the annual Scopes Play reenacting the Scopes Trial. The Scopes Trial Play and Festival opens Friday, July 14.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is requesting a Mississippi sheriff office to get rid of a very Christian emblem.

The Adams County Sheriff's Office's Special Operations Group has unique logos that include a biblical reference to "Romans 13:4" from the New Testament. Romans 13:4 reads: "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." These logos have been featured in recent news stories about the Sheriff's Office, as well as on the letterhead for the Special Operations Group's press releases.

The referencing of a biblical quote on Adams County Sherriff's Office property violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, FFRF asserts. The logos must be changed.

"The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the First Amendment 'mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and nonreligion,'" FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover writes to Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten. "Referencing the New Testament on law enforcement property fails to respect either constitutional mandate of neutrality."

And, FFRF adds, federal courts have regularly ruled that religious references on government logos violate the Establishment Clause. The Special Operations Group logos are akin to numerous other unconstitutional municipal seals and logos.

Patten's authority as sheriff of Adams County does not come from God; it comes from the citizens of the county. When a sheriff changes department property to reference his preferred religious book, not only does he unconstitutionally endorse religion, but also risks alienating the nearly 30 percent of Americans who are non-Christian. Citizens interact with and rely on law enforcement officers during some of the most urgent and vulnerable times of their lives. These citizens should not be made to feel offended, excluded and like political outsiders because the local government they support with their taxes oversteps its power by prominently placing a religious statement on government property.

The insertion of religious references on Sheriff's Office property is beyond the scope of secular government. The Romans 13:4 references must be removed from all department logos immediately, FFRF emphasizes.

"There is no justification for the display of such overtly sectarian religiosity on the part of a public entity," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "To be truly inclusive, the Adams County Sheriff's Office must modify the logo."

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a nationwide nonprofit organization with more than 28,000 members across the country, including in Mississippi. Its purpose is to protect the constitutional separation between church and state.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging one of Tennessee's most prominent cities to nix a proposed multimillion giveaway to a theocratic organization.

A concerned local taxpayer informed FFRF that the city of Knoxville is partnering with the Emerald Youth Foundation to construct a "multipurpose facility and sports complex" in the Lonsdale neighborhood of Knoxville, which will take up ten acres. The city of Knoxville is planning to contribute $2 million toward this project, which will include donating land to the Emerald Youth Foundation and "streetscaping" the surrounding area to support the project, but the Emerald Youth Foundation will own and operate the facility. Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero appeared publicly to support the project and promote the city's partnership with the Emerald Youth Foundation.

The Emerald Youth Foundation describes itself as a Christian, urban youth ministry that "desire[s] to raise up a large number of urban youth to love Jesus Christ." The ministry's proposed facility will include a "worship and performing arts area." Even the facility's sports activities will almost certainly include religious promotion; Emerald Youth Sports openly states that it mission is "to mobilize athletes to become Christian leaders."

The city of Knoxville violates both the U.S. and the Tennessee Constitutions when it endorses the project, donates land to the ministry in order to build the facility and expends taxpayer funds toward the project.

"The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from financially supporting churches," FFRF Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne writes to Knoxville Vice Mayor Duane Grieve. "Further, the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the First Amendment 'mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and nonreligion.' Promoting or otherwise endorsing the Emerald Youth Foundation's religious project fails to respect this constitutional mandate of neutrality."

Furthermore, the Tennessee Constitution also prohibits the city from financially assisting churches. The Supreme Court of Tennessee has held that Article I, Section 3 of the state Constitution provides a "substantially stronger guaranty of religious freedoms" than the federal Establishment Clause. When the city of Knoxville conveys government property to a ministry, and contributes taxpayer funds toward a project that aims to convert area youth to Christianity, it unconstitutionally compels taxpayers to support that ministry and shows the city's preference for the ministry's religious message.

If the Emerald Youth Foundation wishes to construct a sports and worship facility on city-owned land in order to further its religious mission, it must purchase that land at fair market value and fund the project itself. And the city may not promote or otherwise endorse this sort of religious project. Alternatively, Knoxville could partner with a secular group to construct a secular multipurpose facility at this location.

"Municipal bodies can easily embark on worthy initiatives without jeopardizing the Constitution," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "There are organizations available to partner for such ventures that do not seek to impose their beliefs."

FFRF wants an immediate termination of the city of Knoxville's partnership in this religious project.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that works to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, has more than 28,000 members and chapters across the country, including 350-plus in Tennessee and a local chapter, FFRF East Tennessee.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is strenuously objecting to the access that a Texas school district provided the Gideons for bible distribution.

A concerned parent of a Liberty Independent School District student contacted FFRF to report that on April 13, members of the evangelical group Gideons International were permitted to distribute bibles to students in the Liberty High School cafeteria during the lunch period. The Gideons were reportedly quite aggressive. When one student politely declined the offer of a bible, the Gideons were insistent and pushed it on the student, who then reluctantly accepted. It is FFRF's understanding that Principal Chad Barrett was aware that this bible distribution was taking place on school grounds.

"Courts have uniformly held that the distribution of bibles to students during the school day is prohibited," FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover writes to Liberty Independent School District Superintendent Cody Abshier. "There is no excuse or justification for this practice, which sends the message that the district endorses the message contained within the Gideons' bibles." 

The bible distribution was plainly illegal. Public schools have a constitutional obligation to remain neutral toward religion and to protect the rights of conscience of young and impressionable students, FFRF adds. When a school distributes religious literature to its students it entangles itself with that religious message.

Plus, allowing the Gideons into a school has a discriminatory effect. It alienates non-Christian students, teachers, and members of the public whose religious beliefs are inconsistent with the message being promoted by the school. More specifically, such bible distribution makes the 35 percent of Millennials — those born after 1981, i.e., school students — who are nonreligious feel unwelcome in their own schools. Even if the students had not been forced to accept these bibles, the school sends a clear message to the children in its charge who are nonadherents "that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community and accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community," to quote the U.S. Supreme Court.

In many instances, this divisive message regarding a school's preference for religion over nonreligion and Christianity over other religions results in the bullying of those students who choose to exercise their conscience by not accepting a bible. Bullying is rampant in schools and on social media; schools should be striving to create an inclusive, secular environment in which to educate students without forcing them to compromise their personal beliefs.

"Public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "If you allow the Gideons to distribute bibles in your school, it sends quite the opposite message to your school kids."

FFRF requests that all Liberty Independent School District administrators and teachers be informed that their duty to remain neutral toward religion obligates them to prohibit religious literature distributions on school grounds. It wants the district to ensure that this violation does not take place in the future.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 28,000 members across the country, including 1,200-plus in Texas. Its purpose is to protect the constitutional separation between state and church.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is strongly criticizing the San Antonio mayor for her highly insensitive remarks about belief.

At a recent forum, Mayor Ivy Taylor was asked what she thought were the deepest, systemic causes of generational poverty in San Antonio.

"I'll go ahead and put it out there that to me, it's broken people, you know?" she replied, in part. "People not being in relationship with their Creator, and therefore not being in a good relationship with their families and their communities and, you know, not being productive members of society."

Taylor's shocking response is indefensible, FFRF asserts. (Her after-the-fact clarification through a Facebook statement doesn't help her case.)

To start with, Taylor's answer is untrue. In fact, when any given factor of societal health or well-being is measured, it is invariably the less religious countries that score better. The least religious countries of this world:

• Have the lowest rates of violent crime, homicide and corruption.
• Are the best places to raise children and be a mother.
• Have the lowest levels of intolerance against racial and ethnic minorities.
• Score highest when it comes to women's rights and gender equality.
• Have the greatest protection and enjoyment of political and civil liberties.
• Are better at educating their youth in reading, math and science.
• Are the most peaceful, the most prosperous and have the highest quality of life.

The correlation between lower religiosity and higher societal well-being is not limited to an international analysis. This trend also exists within United States. Those states that are the most religious also have a high occurrence of societal ills. The most religious states in the nation tend to have the highest rates of poverty, obesity, infant mortality, sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy, murder and violent crime.

Then, Taylor acts as if declaring herself a member of the Christian majority and denigrating an unpopular minority somehow requires a measure of courage: "I'll go ahead and put it out there." It would require far more courage to stand up for that unpopular minority. Parading membership in the religious majority is popular — that's why it's called pandering.

Scapegoating an unpopular minority, as Taylor did, is inappropriate. As mayor, she represents a diverse population that consists of not only Christians. Overall, 23 percent Americans identify as nonreligious. That eight-point increase since 2007 and 15-point jump since 1990 makes the "Nones" the fastest-growing religious identification in America. And about 35 percent of Millennials are nonreligious.

Imagine for a moment a mayoral candidate making such undeserved and broad accusations against Jews or Muslims instead of nonbelievers. The outcry would properly be swift and severe. It should be no different for nonbelievers.

"Nonbelievers are police officers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, librarians, teachers, scientists, volunteers, parents and students," FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor write to Taylor. "We are part of your community and to call us 'unproductive members of society' because we don't believe as you do is the height of religious arrogance."

FFRF looks forward to Taylor's apology to its San Antonio membership and other San Antonio freethinkers.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 28,000 nonreligious members across the country and more than 1,200 in Texas, including in the San Antonio area.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging a Tennessee school district to curtail the evangelizing activities of a high school math teacher.

Several concerned local citizens have informed FFRF that in mid-March, Milan High School math teacher and coach Larry Eddings announced on social media that he will be teaching an elective bible class during the 2017–2018 school year. The post has since been removed, but it stated, in part:

Exciting news! Milan High School will be offering a Bible class as an elective course for the 2017–2018 school year. The class will be taught by yours truly. ... Praise be to God that He has made a way for the word to go forth. Share this so many people can see it and spread the word. (emphasis added).

Although it is legally permissible for a high school curriculum to include academic — not devotional — studies of religious texts under certain limited circumstances, neither the teacher nor the curriculum itself may endorse the text's religious message, or religion in general. Eddings' description of the upcoming class as a way for "God" to "ma[k]e a way for the word to go forth" unambiguously shows his intent to promote the religious aspects of the bible and his hope to indoctrinate young students. As a math teacher, Eddings also lacks the expertise for teaching a history or literature class.

"Public schools may not provide religious instruction," FFRF Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne writes to Milan Special School District Director of Schools Jonathan Criswell. "In the seminal Supreme Court case on this issue, McCollum v. Board of Education (1948), the court held that that bible classes in public school were unconstitutional. Other federal courts have ruled that similar courses are unconstitutional." 

While investigating this complaint, FFRF discovered further instances of Eddings using his position as a school district employee to promote his personal religion. He appears to organize, promote and participate in the high school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club. For instance, in a video posted to social media on March 1, Eddings promoted a Fellowship event, "Courts of Faith." He states: "We come in this gym and we pray. ... There's 20 to 25 minutes of just asking God to move in Milan, at the high school." Eddings also promoted the event in a separate post on Feb. 28, stating: "We are not really sure what the Holy Spirit is going to do and we are OK with that. We have just positioned ourselves to receive His best." This promotion includes an image of adults participating in a student prayer event.

Eddings has also traveled in order to proselytize (in his words, "pour into") students in other school districts. On March 29–30, he stated that he was "fixing to head into Brentwood High School and pour into over 200 kids that show up for FCA! ... Come on Holy Spirit – manifest yourself!!!" In another picture where he is with seven students, he states, "Got to pour into these young people at Brentwood High School today about disciple-making! What a blessing!"

On April 6, Eddings posted a picture with a description, "Todd Byrd pouring into kids at Milan FCA this morning." Byrd is an adult preacher who regularly appears in religious videos with Eddings promoting religion.

Although Eddings' religious social media posts are on his private Facebook account, they are often so intertwined with his position as a Milan High School teacher that students would understand Eddings to have made them as a district employee.

Finally, Milan High Fellowship of Christian Athletes posted images of a "See You At The Pole" prayer event earlier this school year. The images show Eddings and other adults participating in the religious event with students just outside the school.

"It is unconstitutional for public school employees to participate in the religious activities of their students," Jayne writes. "Government employees must refrain from actively participating in religious activities while acting within their governmental role to avoid any perception of government endorsement of religion and/or excessive entanglement with religion."

Furthermore, when district staff plan, promote, or participate in Christian prayer events like See You At The Pole, they alienate non-Christian students, teachers, and parents whose religious beliefs are inconsistent with the message being promoted by the school staff.

FFRF requests assurances that the district will investigate and correct each of the above complaints. Eddings apparently views his teaching position as an opportunity to convert students to his personal religion, Christianity, a serious violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He must not organize, promote, or participate in student religious clubs or activities; Milan High School should not offer a bible class to students, especially one taught by Eddings.

FFRF takes these complaints very seriously. In addition to successfully stopping a Tennessee bible class in court in 2002, it is currently challenging a West Virginia bible class in federal court. If Milan High School includes a bible class this fall, regardless of the instructor, FFRF will request copies of the full curriculum and will take appropriate action if the class promotes religion in any way.

"The school district must do the right thing by curbing the proselytizing tendencies of Mr. Eddings," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "We would also like to see a clear memo on the law go out to district staff and teachers."

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 28,000 nonreligious members and chapters across the country, including 350-plus and a chapter in Tennessee.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is taking exception to a series of assemblies that engaged in religious promotion at a number of Texas public schools. 

A concerned community member informed FFRF that the April 3 student assembly at Glenda Dawson High School in Pearland, Texas, included advertisements for a religious revival event hosted by the evangelical church Go Tell Ministries. Similar assemblies reportedly took place at Berry Miller Junior High and other Pearland Independent School District schools on April 4 and 5. While the in-school assemblies focused on secular inspirational messaging, the evangelical group was permitted to heavily promote its April 8 evangelical event, the “Bay Area Go Tell Crusade,” which it deceptively described to students as a “pizza night.” District employees apparently helped Go Tell Ministries distribute tickets for the religious event to students. 

The district reportedly scheduled these assemblies in part due to a recent suicide at Pearland High School. FFRF is very sorry to learn of the death of a student, and agrees that the district needs to be proactive in addressing such tragic events with its students, including bringing in counselors. But it must not let an outside evangelical group use this tragedy as a pretext to further its religious mission. 

“It is well settled that public schools may not advance or promote religion,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover writes to Superintendent John Kelly. “In United States v. Lee, the Supreme Court extended the prohibition of school-sponsored religious activities beyond the classroom to all school functions, holding prayers at public high school graduations an impermissible establishment of religion. Thus, promotion of Go Tell Ministries’ ‘crusade’ event as part of an in-school assembly violates the Establishment Clause.” 

The Houston Chronicle reports that Pearland Communications Director Kim Hocott has claimed that “the distribution of materials at non-school events is protected by law from discrimination based on content, so the tickets were allowed to be distributed to students who were interested.” But an in-school assembly is not a non-school event; it is a school-sponsored event and any message made at the event bears the stamp of district approval. The district supplied Go Tell Ministries with unique access to students through an in-school assembly. The assembly is government speech, and under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, that speech cannot advance one religion over others or promote religion over nonreligion. 

FFRF has encountered countless examples of Christian missionaries (who it terms “pizza evangelists”) insinuating themselves into public schools by camouflaging their purpose. Sometimes, they use the opportunity to advertise for separate religious events, as happened here. This is no different from soliciting church attendance during public school hours and is equally illegal. It is incumbent on public officials to exercise due diligence when approached by third parties with a vested interest in pitching their messages to a captive audience of public school students. And regardless of the district’s intentions for these assemblies, allowing a religious ministry access to students gives the appearance that the district endorses that ministry’s religious messages. 

At least some students received an opt-out form prior to the event. While parents have complained that the form was deceptive and did not disclose the religious nature of the assembly’s speakers, no amount of disclosure prior to a religious school-sponsored event can make the event legally permissible. The voluntary nature of a religious program or the provision of an alternative does not excuse in-school proselytization. The U.S. Supreme Court has summarily rejected arguments that voluntariness excuses a constitutional violation. 

“Evangelical ministries shouldn’t be granted access to public school students,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “School officials must know by now that they’ll most often use the opportunity to promote their religious agenda.” 

The Pearland Independent School District must ensure that no future assemblies from outside groups include religious advertising. FFRF further requests that the district issue an apology to those students who were subjected to Go Tell Ministries’ religious advertisements. 

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to state/church separation with more than 27,000 nonreligious members across the country, including 1,200-plus in Texas.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has filed for a protective order in an ongoing Freedom From Religion Foundation case that challenges his censorship.

FFRF received a state-issued permit to place, in response to a Christian nativity scene, an exhibit in the Texas Capitol in December 2015 honoring the Bill of Rights and winter solstice. Abbott ordered the exhibit removed, calling the display "tasteless sarcasm" and claiming that FFRF was seeking to "mock our nation's Judeo-Christian heritage." The motion, filed Monday, seeks to prevent Abbott from being deposed in the lawsuit that FFRF filed after its freedom of expression was muzzled.

Abbott's motion for a protective order asserts that as a high-ranking government official, he is protected from having to testify. The motion also asserts, "Governor Abbott has no unique personal knowledge of any fact that is in any way relevant to this dispute."

Last year, U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks ruled that FFRF's case against the governor in his official and individual capacity could proceed. The opinion said, "[B]ecause the Board initially found FFRF's exhibit had a 'public purpose' and only excluded the exhibit when Governor Abbott sent his letter of criticisms, a genuine issue of material fact exits regarding whether defendants engaged in viewpoint discrimination."

The Texas government's motion asserts that Abbott neither personally drafted the letter nor signed it. After initially issuing the censorship letter, Abbott tweeted, "Mocking the Capitol Nativity Scene is Offensive. I Demand Removal of Satirical 'Nativity Scene' from Capitol."

FFRF's legal complaint details a "history of hostility directed against FFRF" by Abbott over the years. On Fox News in December 2011, Abbott told the national group, which now has more than 27,000 nonreligious members including 1,200-plus in his state, to keep out of Texas, stating: "Our message to the atheists is: Don't mess with Texas or our nativity scenes or the Ten Commandments."

In October 2012, Abbott again attacked FFRF during a press conference: "We will not allow atheist groups from outside of the state of Texas to come into the state to use menacing and misleading intimidation tactics to try to bully schools to bow down at the altar of secular beliefs."

As governor, Abbott has continued to assail FFRF for working to keep state and church separate.

FFRF will file a response to the protective order motion, asserting that Abbott is subject to a deposition in the case. The case is scheduled for a trial in October 2018.

Photo by Gage Skidmore