An off-site Bible class for elementary age children has been cancelled in Michigan after a parent of one student complained.
Fox News reports that about 100 of the 400 children at Daisy Brook Elementary School in Fremont, Michigan attended the optional Bible classes. They required parental approval and were held during lunch hour.
The Michigan Association of Civil Rights Activists took up the fight against the Bible classes after a parent complained. The Association alleged that the class “is clearly designed to promote and support one particular religion, pastor, and church, and is thus an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. Such programs are discriminatory and violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”
Many parents disagree. Britney TerVeer said, “I don’t agree with it because I don’t believe it is a violation of the First Amendment. It’s not on school property. Parents have to sign their kids. It’s completely optional.”
She added, ”Just because other religions don’t offer this kind of thing at school, it is unfair to take it away from the Christian religion. I brought my kids up in a Christian family my whole life, and I’d like to continue that.”
A flyer advertising the class described it this way: “Bible Release Time is a program permitted by Michigan law, whereby children are released from school classes during school hours to attend religious instruction at a nearby location. Pastor John Perkins will be conducting the Bible Release Time class in Newago and Kent Counties.”
School officials were in support of the class, but decided to cancel it at least for the remainder of the school year, until they can better assess their legal situation.