Parents want halt to classroom distribution of New Testament

By The Associated Press,
freedomforum.org staff

10.22.01

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Hedy Weinberg

McMINNVILLE, Tenn. — When Debi Dunn's 11-year-old son came home from school last week with a pocket-sized copy of the New Testament, she was not pleased.

Dunn is among the parents upset that members of Gideons International were allowed to distribute the books to fifth-graders at Dibrell Elementary School in Warren County.

"I'm full-spirited, but I don't know what they're teaching my child that I might teach different," Dunn said.

Roy Pierce, the human resources director for Warren County schools, said the Gideons have distributed the books to students in the county for at least 20 years, and the district has no plans of changing the practice.

Yet Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, said allowing the Gideons into the school to distribute the New Testament "clearly violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and the Tennessee Constitution."

Dibrell Principal Sherry Trotman said students who did not want a copy of the New Testament or who felt uncomfortable were allowed to leave the room before distribution.

"This is something that has been going on for years," Trotman said. "It's nothing new. The kids who want one can have one. They are not forced."

Pierce said he was told by an attorney that the Gideons were allowed to distribute copies of the New Testament in county schools because other groups were allowed the same access.

"As long we did it under the same context we weren't going to be breaking any rules," Pierce said.

Weinberg said the equal-access rule applies only to student clubs. A religious club would have the same right to operate in school as a chess club, but the rule does not apply to the distribution of copies of the New Testament in a public classroom, she said.

"They're apples and oranges," Weinberg said.

Pierce said school officials probably would review procedures for the distribution, perhaps moving the process to a common area such as a lobby.

"We're going to continue letting them do as they've done for the past few years," Pierce said.

Jerry Burden, executive director of the Gideons International, which has its headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., told freedomforum.org that he had no comment.

The courts have ruled that outside groups don't have the right to have access to students in public school classrooms, said Charles Haynes, the First Amendment Center's senior scholar on First Amendment issues.

Groups like the Gideons are allowed to distribute material on the public sidewalks outside school property, Haynes told freedomforum.org. "That's the best way because it doesn't involve the group coming into the school," he said.

Allowing the Gideons to distribute Bibles to students in the classroom "turns the school into the public square and it isn't," Haynes said. "These young kids have to be there, so there's an interest in protecting them and making sure the schools don't get involved in promoting religion during the school day.

"It's one of those things where many people in communities are in favor of having the Gideons in the school but they would be unhappy if the school opened its doors to any number of other religious groups to give out literature," he said. "The community has to understand that an exception can't be made for the majority faith. The First Amendment is intended to treat everyone on a level playing field."

But "if students bring Bibles to school to give to other students, then that's allowed," Haynes said. "Students have certain religious and expression rights and can share materials with other students."

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