MOTHER THREATENS LAWSUIT OVER BIBLES GIVEN AWAY AT SCHOOL

by bsu

Jessica Greene is threatening a lawsuit against the Bartow County School District after the Gideons distributed free Bibles at her fifth grade son’s elementary school.

Leo Greene with mother, Jessica, looking, reads from the Bible
he received from Gideons at his grade school.
Screen Capture/WXIA-TV, Atlanta.

Leo Greene went with other classmates to get his free Bible after his teacher told the class that visitors in the library were giving away copies. When he got home with his Bible, his mother told him he had to return it.

“I was just shocked that the school system would do that,” Jessica Greene told WXIA-TV in Atlanta. “I tried to contact the superintendent, he has not returned my call.”

Her son’s elementary school did send her a Facebook message in which it stated, “The Gideons are permitted to offer Bibles to students who wish to pick them up. It is strictly voluntary and the library was the location where students could pick one up; our librarian did not hand them out.”

Greene, who says she is Christian, was not satisfied with the explanation and contacted the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The FFRF sent a letter to the superintendent demanding that the school district stop the distribution of Bibles and reprimanded the Cloverleaf Elementary School’s principal and teachers.

However, two U.S. Circuit Courts have ruled that the distribution of religious materials, including Bibles, is constitutionally protected.

Many people (Christians included), misunderstand how the separation of church and state applies to public schools. It does not mean that public schools have to be devoid of all religion. It simply means that a school system cannot promote one religion over another. The Bartow County School District did nothing unconstitutional by allowing the Gideons to distribute Bibles. As long as a school district allows other religious groups to do the same, such as permitting Muslims to distribute free copies of the Quran, then the district is in compliance with the separation of church and state.

Contact the Bartow County School District Superintendent’s Office and encourage the superintendent to continue to allow the Gideons to distribute free Bibles and not take any action against the principal or staff of the Cloverleaf Elementary School.

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