Students at a Texas elementary school won’t be herded to receive Gideon bibles after FFRF sent a warning to the school district over the constitutional violation.
It was reported to FFRF that teachers at West Fountain Elementary School in Wichita Falls, Texas, had lined students up and escorted them out to the edge of school property to receive a bible from the Gideon Society, a male proselytizing group.
FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover wrote to Wichita Falls Independent School District on March 17, informing the district that advancing the Gideon’s religious mission was a constitutional violation of the separation between church and state.
FFRF was informed on Sept. 5 that Executive Director of School Administration Debby Patterson had addressed the violation by sending an email to district staff, reminding them of the guidelines regarding sidewalk bible distribution. Patterson informed the staff that the Gideons are never to be allowed on school property to distribute bibles.
