Will Johnston County Schools Ban Gideons?

And yet, we continue to wonder why there are more problems. The last sentence is sickening.

From WTSB http://wtsbradio.com/localnews-wp.php

Proposed policy will prohibit group from distributing Bibles on school campuses

For generations, Gideons International has distributed New Testaments at Johnston County Schools. If a new school board policy is passed, that era is over.

The Board of Education, at its Tuesday meeting, is scheduled to vote on a policy regarding the distribution and display of non-school materials.

Johnston County Schools spokesperson Tracey Peedin Jones confirmed the new policy will affect the Gideons.

"If this new policy passes," Jones said, "the Gideons will not be able to distribute Bibles."

Jones said no school policy exists directly related to the distribution of literature by outside agencies.

The Board has been utilizing case law and Supreme Court rulings in making decisions.

"At this point, Jones said, "the Board believes that the school system needs to implement their own policy that complies with the latest mandates of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court."

The proposed policy states, "Only school-sponsored and curriculum-related publications and materials may be distributed or displayed during the school day, on school grounds or at school activities."

At least one area pastor expressed disappointment in the proposed policy.

"Having worked with the Gideons all my life I am aware that it is becoming more and more difficult for them to get into our schools," Micro First Baptist Church Pastor Tim Stevens said.

“It would certainly be sad if at the same time that the Gideons are finding new opportunities in Russia and China to distribute Bibles they were excluded from doing so in our own public school system,” Rev. Stevens said.

 

As LJK so eloquently stated the last time this was discussed . . .

 

I knew you would be the first to respond when I was posting that!

Do you agree that the decay of our moral fabric leads to many of the problems in the schools?

 

I think folks forget their history, I think that the moral fabric has improved.

 

That depends on what you believe is the reason behind the supposed moral decay. Lack of bibles? Bad parenting? Jersey Shore? Mt. Dew?

 

People of religious faith do not have a monopoly on moral values. Even atheists and agnostics can have moral values. You would probably find quite a few immoral people in your own church.

I agree. It starts at home. Monkey see, monkey do.

 

leave me out of it tuk.. lol

 

Unless and until the schools allow texts and references from any and all belief systems that wish to hand them out, they should allow none.

Want the Westboro Baptist group to share their materials? Allow the Quran? Tibetan Book of the Dead? Copies of the Torah or Talmud?

My sense tells me that only the New Testament would be welcomed, thus discriminating against those whose taxes pay for schools, yet whose belief systems are not represented.

I do hope that the school board eliminates handing out of religious materials, and continues to push for academic learning.

 

"Jones said no school policy exists directly related to the distribution of literature by outside agencies."

There is no policy stopping the Muslims or other hate groups.

 

Now that didn't sound very Christian! :mrgreen:

 

:iagree:

 

I agree whole heartedly... I do not want religious material handed out in schools. If one is allowed, then all must be. The safest way to avoid and problems is to keep our schools strictly for learning. They should ban ALL groups with any religious agenda from holding activities after school also.

I do, however, believe that s moment of silence for the silent, in your head, prayers of your choice should be allowed. Call it a moment of reflection.

 

Hugh, I called the school too back then and I was told that other organizations were free to distribute their literature as well. They just never asked.

 

Seek and ye shall find...

YES!!! She really DID say 4042 was the Devil's Playground :lol:

 

What in the world are you talking about? Sounds paranoid to me.....:lol: My kid learned her political liberal agenda from me not the Johnston County School system. Some of the items discussed are so conservative that it makes my skin crawl. I do believe they teach what is given to them and they do a good job. My job is to pollute all children's minds that come in contact with me. :jester: You keep trying to turn my kid's mind into a conservative think tank, Mr. :mrgreen:

Sherry

 

I am sick of the overly liberal. I believe in tolerance and not judging. Having said that, i do not run around yelling, "i'm straight" so why must others? Do school have a straight club? If not then why have a gay/lesbian club?
I also believe that school is not a right but a privilege and if you are not a tax paying, citizen you don't have the right to free education, Yet...many liberals want me to feel sorry for the rights of the illegals. If they want rights, they should go back to their own country.

 

I just read the exact quote from Croom on WTSB yesterday, other groups had wanted their literature included but "it was stuff I did not want my own son reading". Well, if your son is strong in his faith, it should not sway him - and when he is an adult he will make that decision on his own. I prefer my kids to be exposed to ALL religions and make their own choice (while I bring them to church lol).

Seriously? Since Ed did not want his kid reading what the other religions had to say, he had a vote to banish them all? Wow.

We are going backwards, people.

 

Going backwards? Ma'am, this is Johnston County. It's already backwards. Ain't nothing going forwards around here.

 

While I don't believe religion should be in school unless someone is specifically taking a class on religion I do not agree with Croom. He's making a decision like the school board did when they censored certain books based upon what they would and would not allow their children/grandchildren to read. Johnston County Schools are going to find themselves in big, big trouble one day. They are already the laughing stock on the censorship of those books.........glad those who fought back won.

Sherry

 

While his reasoning was based because his children might be exposed to something he didn't want them exposed to, I heartily approve.

Ethics and morality can be learned without using the Bible.