In what has increasingly become a troubling sign of the times, an Oklahoma public schools district has barred a community-led Christian club for students from publicizing its before-school meetings on the Northeast Elementary campus. Other similar clubs that teach values, self-esteem, and morality to students, like the Boy Scouts and the Young Men’s Christian Association, are still allowed to publicize their events in the Owasso schools. Even a business like Baja Jack’s Burrito Shack can promote its “tasty Mexican food for breakfast” to the students at Northeast Elementary.
But the Christian club, “Owasso Kids for Christ,” which teaches the same values, self-esteem, and morality as the Scouts and YMCA but from a biblical perspective, is barred on the basis that it is “religious.”
The policy being used to keep Owasso Kids for Christ down states: “No literature will be distributed that contains primarily religious, objectionable, or political overtones which may be beneficial to any particular group or business at the expense of others.”
And it’s now apparent this unconstitutional policy is being used to single out a Christian organization that should not be targeted for discrimination simply because it seeks to publicize its voluntary meetings just like other community groups do.
Making matters worse is the fact that the policy is being applied one way for Owasso Kids for Christ and another for other religious groups. As I alluded to in my first paragraph, the YMCA is a Christian association — Young Men’s Christian Association — yet they are allowed to continue advertising their meetings and events on campus.
In fact, one of the recent YMCA fliers approved for posting by the district included YMCA’s mission: “To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.”
Likewise, the Boy Scouts, who are permitted to distribute fliers, make announcements over the public address system, place signs advertising their meetings on school property, and require their members to adhere to the Scout Oath, which states in part “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.”
It seems the district would have people believe the Constitution requires certain religious organizations to be singled out for disfavored treatment when, in reality, the Constitution strictly prohibits this type of discrimination against any religious organizations: A position that the courts have repeatedly upheld.
The bottom line: For some reason there appears to be some degree of animus aimed at Owasso Kids for Christ. So much so, in fact, that the district superintendent discouraged the more-than-100-member club from publicizing its activities in the larger Owasso community through signs and banners and through local media and advertising outlets because he believed such publicity would “stir up trouble.”
What kind of power does a school district wield when it not only prohibits a Christian organization from announcing its Bible club for students while allowing dozens of other community groups to access the district’s communicative mediums, but also takes upon itself the role of suggesting that the Christian organization not advertise at off-campus locations either?
Why the intolerance of Owasso Kids for Christ?
Why the focused opposition to a club that the Owasso community loves and nurtures and which in turn nurtures elementary school children and promotes strong families through events such as a Father-Daughter Dance and Mom and Son Science Night?
Fortunately, the Alliance Defense Fund has filed suit in this situation — Owasso Kids for Christ v. Owasso Public Schools — to end the unequal treatment Owasso Kids for Christ is receiving at the hands of school officials.
Matthew Sharp is litigation staff counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund (www.telladf.org), a legal alliance of Christian lawyers and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.
Matthew Sharp is litigation staff counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund (www.telladf.org), a legal alliance of Christian lawyers and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.
