Just got an e-mail (sent to all parents) that my daughter's middle school has a student-led FCA sponsored bible study/devotion group every other Thursday morning prior to classes and I don't know how to feel about this.
My initial impression is that I don't agree with schools being used for this purpose, and it feels manipulative that breakfast tacos are provided and prominently mentioned in the e-mail.
[feel free to reply or discuss]
There has been an increasing influence of the church in the district these last few years.
It's not illegal because sponsored activities always occur outside of instruction hours and the district is compensated, like renting space.
I don't like it at all, no matter how much money we need because of Texas' Robin Hood policies.
No worries. I think it's wrong no matter the societal context.
The breakfast tacos are purchased outside the school at local restaurants and provided to meeting attendees.
I like to think most kids by that age are smart enough to recognize the manipulation or decide what's right for themselves, but I also know that kids are easily swayed when a reward is provided.
It's student-led, though? Is it school-sponsored, or are they just using the space? I think a big deciding factor is whether it's affiliated with the school or the school is just being used as a place to host.
Providing food is definitely manipulative, and pretty par for the course for Christian organizations (though many other orgs use "Free Food!" as an incentive too).
@ThatDamnCat :poop_on_fire:
I appreciate that the US is not my cultural context, but using the school's ressources (in that case, address book) and food to push down your religion down kid's throat seems pretty scummy to me.
And if I learnt that the school is the one providing the food (or otherwise financially supporting the group), the tableflip would register on the Richter scale.