Wake County public schools in bed with churches
Many Wake County residents (and plenty of other folks) may be interested in knowing that the Wake County Public School System has recently implemented something called the Adopt-a-School Initiative, which seeks to partner every school in the system with a "faith-based organization" in order (ostensibly) to mentor problem students. To begin with, it turns out that not all "faith-based organizations" appear to be welcome. The program is headed by Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services, Dr. Marvin Connelly, who also happens to be a Baptist pastor and is active in the Wake Baptist Missionary Association. At last check, hundreds of local Protestant churches had been notified of this program--no Catholic churches, and no non-Christian religious organizations. Very interesting.
And it gets even better. The "training" for participating individuals has been farmed out to a hardcore Protestant group called Another Step Forward Ministries. Their training brochure says the Adopt-a-School Initiative "links faith in God and good works for the improvement of life and the lives of others" and "seeks to build strong individuals, families, faith-based organizations, business and communities from a Kingdom perspective." Really? This somehow didn't seem problematic to the WCPSS Board?
This is almost certainly a violation of the First Amendment's establishment clause, as well as objectively immoral since it involves the public school system that is funded with our tax dollars. It was Thomas Jefferson who said, "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
[I submitted basically what you see above as a letter to the editor of the News & Observer.]
These kinds of problems are inherent in a government school system and just another reason to abolish it and prevent government from having anything to do with education. Then people could simply send their kids to whatever private schools best suit them. But in the meantime, the only fair solution is to not allow mingling of government and religion.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
August 28th, 2009 - 21:24
Wow. They’re just going crazy. Imagine an Islamic group doing this. They’d cry backyard terrorist training in a heartbeat.
August 29th, 2009 - 11:53
Indeed. Many Christians have a very hard time seeing these issues objectively and understanding what the word “establishment” in the 1st Amendment means.
February 24th, 2010 - 20:04
I see no problem with faith based organizations helping schools. They are living out their beliefs by caring for and loving others. The problem comes when instead of helping academics, the faith based organization tries to convert. The organizations are not seeking to convert but to follow “kingdom principles” of helping and serving others. There is no harm in this and it leaves separation of church and state intact. I am a teacher, and I would not turn away help no matter what religion, race, background etc a person comes from (as long as they pass a criminal background check and respect the rights and beliefs of my students.) Just because no other religions have created or joined such an initiative does not mean that they would not be welcome in the public school if they are truly there to serve students (not convert them).