Illinois: La Harpe Community School District caves to atheist group, threatens to call police on individuals giving away Bibles
A public school district in Illinois sent a “cease and desist” letter to an unnamed person who gave away Bibles to boys and girls on a public street owned by the district.
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“This individual was warned that law enforcement would be called should he or any affiliated persons come onto the School District campus for the purpose of distributing Bibles to students,” an attorney for the La Harpe Community School District no. 347 wrote in a letter to the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF).
The Wisconsin atheist group responded to a give away free Bibles to students on April 20 as “unconstitutional.”
“La Harpe Elementary may not allow Bible distributions on school property,” the FFRF attorney wrote to the district. “It is unconstitutional for public school districts to permit Gideons to distribute Bibles as part of the public school day.”
The Gideons are an international ministry that provides Bibles to school children, hotels and other areas.
“Public schools have a constitutional obligation to protect the rights of conscience of young and impressionable students,” the FFRF wrote.
This issue arose over the ownership of a roadway that splits the grade school campus in half. Up until 2013 the city owned and maintained the road. And while the community still commonly views it as a city roadway it is in fact a school district roadway.
“This individual was clearly informed that North D Street is a part of the School District campus and cannot be used for Bible distribution activities,” the district’s attorney wrote.
Fox’s Todd Starnes stated this on the gravitas of the move: “So let that sink in for just a moment – a public school sent a cease and desist letter to someone who was giving children a copy of the Good Book. And they threatened to call the police.
“That’s what a war on religious liberty looks like, America.”
