1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Public School Ministries?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by fundamentalfire, Sep 27, 2005.

  1. Thankful

    Thankful <img src=/BettyE.gif>

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2002
    Messages:
    8,430
    Likes Received:
    0
    What a great attitude and witness.

    It is not up to the public schools to teach our children about God.

    To go a little further, if one is a Baptist, do you want a Methodist teacher, a Church of Christ Teacher, etc, etc. How does one determine the proper course of study.

    Our church has a strong youth program. Many of the youth go to public high schools in the area. They are the witness to their fellow students. They bring these students to church where they can learn about the gospel and the truth about our Lord and Savior.

    Remember the old song "Bring Them In"

    This, of course, does not answer the question of the opening post. I would suggest that you check with the school to see if you can start a Bible Class. Schools have their own rules based on the "law".

    There is no blanket answer as to what is allowed in certain schools.
     
  2. fundamentalfire

    fundamentalfire New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2005
    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks for all the input folks. Just to clarify though, I think a voluntary basis is the only way to go about it. You can't force people to come. But the lady I met started her group on a voluntary basis and now the school has given her a home room of her very own and the kids are requesting to be put in her home room. They all love this lady and are very excited to start their day with her.

    Of course I wouldn't want a muslim or mormon or some proponent of other false teaching to be instructing my kids, but the fact that they are not doing this in my area seems to present a great opportunity for me to try and get out the true gospel before they do!! Kind of a pre-emptive strike! And of course if the muslims don't want their kids attending then that is up to them. It would be wonderful to see them come and get saved though!

    If this strengthens the faith of the saved kids in the school and helps to get them on fire for the Lord, it would be worth the effort.
     
  3. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2005
    Messages:
    3,091
    Likes Received:
    0
    I agree with you, fundamentalfire
     
  4. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2004
    Messages:
    7,152
    Likes Received:
    0
    FF, if this lady was an employee of a public school, then she is walking a very fine line between legality and illegality.

    In this country, all arguing aside, best practice is that NO public school employee may lead or worse command any child to to anything that might be construed as religious prosyliting. No leading prays or explaining personal religious beliefs on school time. It doesn't matter what religion the employee is, so long as they don't instruct the kids about it. It is all about authority. Just as we wouldn't want a Muslim teacher to tell our kids they were sinning by not facing east when they prayed, Christian teachers can't tell kids they are sinning either.

    HOWEVER, if a group of kids decides they want to have a Bible club or special prayer for a classmate, they are more than welcome to. The public school also cannot prevent the kids from those type of activities. They can't make unwilling students to participate, but can allow willing students to.

    This is the way it works in our system. We have a number of before and after school programs that go on. Computer class, Spanish or science club all that kind of thing. All offered on a voluntary basis, some pay as you go, some free. Which one is offered where, varies through the system. At our one middle school, along with various other activities that are offered, we have the option of First Priority club. My church runs this program that meets before school one day a week for Bible study and prayer. Anyone who wants to can come, but the school itself is not involved except to provide space.

    Another example would be what happened the other day. One of our football players fractured his neck in a game. The next day several of the other students approached the teachers about having a time of prayer for the hurt student. The teachers couldn't tell them no, neither could they lead the prayer. The kids themselves saw to it that the entire grade was informed that there would be a prayer and worked it out with the teachers (and principal) when an appropriate time to hold it would be. Those students who didn't wish to participate were given space to not participate and nothing more was said to them. Those did wish to participate, gathered at the given time and place, led themselves in prayer and then went back to class. Teachers provided nothing but crowd control and general supervison.

    We haven't gotten sued yet....
     
  5. Servent

    Servent Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2003
    Messages:
    797
    Likes Received:
    0
    Servent, you are incorrect. Teachers are state employees and must not intermingle that role with proselytization. This is established case law. </font>[/QUOTE]Sorry, I work for a school dist. in Texas teachers can attend, again this is all voluntary, if teachers are on there own time, before school or after or at lunch, there is nothing the school or the gov. can do.
     
  6. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2004
    Messages:
    7,152
    Likes Received:
    0
    You know, I think the differences in how the law applies to teachers, is determined by the opinion of the state attorney general. Some AG's interpet the law more strictly than others.
     
  7. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2001
    Messages:
    21,321
    Likes Received:
    0
    Not necessarily. After-school and before-school bible studies are permitted. Also, there's somethign called released-time bible study during the day, that parents can consent to. The only thin that's illegal is if it's state sponsored or if it's done in a way that denies other religions an equal opportunity.

    My daughter is in public high schoo, and is a member of the Christian club, and they have outside adults come in all the time.
     
Loading...