"Scriptures in Schools Week" and "See You at the Pole"

Next week, September 21-27 is "Scripture in Schools Week" and Wednesday the 24th is the big "See You at the Pole" day. I've seen publicity on "See You at the Pole" for several years where students are to gather around the flagpole in front of their school at 7am and pray together. Good for them.

However, this is the first I've really seen anything about "Scripture in Schools Week" where children are encouraged to bring their bibles to school and wear t-shirts with religious messages all week. Apparently this is the 11th year but it doesn't get the coverage that their pole does. What concerns me are some of their 'official' suggested activities for the week.

Sunday - Kickoff and dedication at church (fine with me)

Monday - Bring Bibles to School & T-Shirt Day #1: Wear Christian message T-shirts, sweatshirts & jackets to school. Make new friends! Meet kids & teachers you never knew were Christians - just like you! NOTE: Do Not Bring your Bibles home until end of school year. An 'extra' Bible is useful. (Here they're already telling kids to keep their Bibles at school longer than a week and have an 'extra' Bible. Ummm, ok?)

Tuesday - Buttons, Stickers, Patches & Jewelry Day #1: Wear Christian message items on your clothes; some items can be attached to your book covers & book bags. Bring more Bibles. (It's the second day of the week and kids are already bringing more Bibles. Since it's plural that makes a minimum of 4 Bibles in their locker now.)

Wednesday - Tract Day & T-Shirt Day #2: Leave tracts at strategic places throughout school - library books, desks, lockers. Bring more Bibles. (Now's when I really start having a problem with it. This is when the proselytizing is starting. Slipping tracts into library books, desks and lockers. They've already been able to single out the non-Jesus loving Christians by their lack of t-shirts. Oh, and the bible count is now 6+.)

Thursday - Buttons, Pins, Stickers, Patches & Jewelry Day #2: Bring more Bibles. (Bible count now up to at least 8)

Friday - WWJD Day & T-Shirt Day #3: Wear your WWJD & Christian witness items! Wristbands, T-shirts, caps, hats, jackets, jewelry, etc. (I thought the whole WWJD thing was dead but at least they aren't asked to bring extra Bibles on Friday.)

Then on Saturday and Sunday they're all supposed to get together and let everybody know what good Christians they are and share their testimonies. (Wooo)

By the end of the week these kids are going to have a locker full of bibles, and exactly how does that work in a public school? I understand that they have the right to try to tie the bible in as a piece of literature for certain assignments but I think a locker full of bibles steps over the line a bit.

Also some of their other quotes for the week include:
"creative use of 'Academic Evangelism'; along with millions of other kids, teens, and teachers all across America"
"Return Bibles to our public schools"
"Restore basic Biblical literacy to all of America's children"
"Dare to bring your Bibles - all year long"
"Tote 'em and quote 'em! And use 'em in class!"

It's really going to piss me off if any of my kids' teachers try any 'Academic Evangelism'. If it's their friends, fine, whatever, but it should not be done from a position of authority, especially a teacher. I think most teachers know enough not to proselytize in the classroom, but there are a couple that concern me.

Since my children are old enough to think for themselves, I've warned them a little about what might be going on and told them that my main concern is teachers using the bible in class. Considering that I have a kid whose English teacher has a Masters from a christian university, I could see it getting tied in as literature. Like I said before, it probably won't happen, but I'm still concerned. I may have to tell them that if they have a friend with a locker full of bibles on Friday to pick one up for me to use for reference. The internet is great for researching but sometimes it's handy to have a physical copy.

If there are other parents raising dogma-free children, have them pay attention to what goes on during the week and post a comment if anything interesting happens.