While going through my son's backpack last week (on May 10th to be specific), I found a letter telling me that the Gideons would be at my son's PUBLIC elementary school on May 10th handing out bibles. The letter was dated May 6th but somehow didn't make it into his backpack until the 10th (I check it every day). So even if I had wanted to do something to prevent it, I wouldn't have been able to.
This also happened last year, while he was in kindergarten. I was outraged by it then, but didn't do anything. I just had a talk with my son telling him he didn't need to take a book if it was offered to him because we already have one at home and it was wasteful. Never mind that we all teach our kids to avoid strange men in the street handing them free things.
My problem now is, what exactly am I supposed to do about this? The letter specifically says the guy is on the street, which I'm sure makes it legal somehow. And since they do it at every school then it's not really something the principal has control over. If I go to the superintendent he'll just tell me they're not doing anything illegal.
This really pisses me off.
get some copies of the Upanishads and hand them out
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were at Whittier, they didn't have Gideons handing out Bibles. I believe it is something that each building principal (ours was Pat Altrichter) has control over. Please, do ask your building principal how this happened.
ReplyDeleteThe Gideons used to offer to come to my church every year, years ago. I politely refused and they said no more about it, and eventually, they stopped asking. They probably sent a sweet old man to ask the principal, and the principal probably caved in to the geriatric smile.
But, you have given me an idea for PFLAG. Maybe we could hand out rainbow delegation wristbands at schools, next fall. Yeah.
I'll definitely be contacting the principal then. Thanks for the tip. I'd love to hand out bracelets with you, but after I make the argument to the principal that I don't feel entirely comfortable with strangers handing out free things to kids just slightly off of school property, it might look bad if I do it too. Not to say that I'm not totally in favor of your plan. :-)
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