MRFF's Inbox

May 13, 2009

Mikey: I am a grandfather living on the Base at Fort Hood, TX with my wife, daughter and her 7-year old twin girls (our granddaughters). Her husband is a combat soldier serving with the United States Army in Iraq.

Recently, our granddaughters' 2nd-grade teachers handed all the children a flyer inviting them to a "Party Club" at the elementary school, told them to have their parents sign the invitation and return it to the elementary school office. It turns out that the "party" is sponsored by the Fort Hood Garrison Chaplain's Office and Military Children's Ministry, and "the club is led by trained personnel who serve under the supervision of Child Evangelism Fellowship and Military Children's Ministry."

The Meadows Elementary School is actually located on the military installation of Fort Hood. There were separate "parties" for K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. My feeling is that even though there is a disclaimer that "this activity/publication is not sponsored by the school district", the fact that it was handed out by the teachers, or even distributed by the school, is a violation of the First Amendment regarding state-sponsored religion.

My wife, my daughter, and I are Jewish, my soldier, son-in-law is Catholic, and we are raising the children Jewish. When we told them that we were not allowing them to go to the "party" they burst into tears. "Why can't we go? Everyone else is going. The teachers gave us the invitation and told us to have our parents sign it, so it must be all right! Why are you punishing us by not allowing us to go? It's not fair!" And on and on for almost an hour apiece. How do you explain to and reason with a 7-year-old who just doesn't understand why they can't go to a party with their classmates in the school?

I have no problem with civic, private, or religious organizations renting space in the schools after hours; it helps defray school expenses and provides a venue for organizations to meet. My objection is that the school's distributing religious literature of this type is blatantly unconstitutional and illegal, crosses the line about separation of church and state, and that the school district should have known better.

By the way, this evening I attended the local School Board meeting and raised the objections listed above. I had contacted the ACLU of Texas a couple of weeks ago asking for a legal opinion and support, but they weren't particularly helpful. Anyway, after the meeting, a woman approached us, introduced herself as the daughter of a Methodist minister, said she totally agreed with my comments, and suggested I contact you and MRFF immediately.. She did not divulge her name because she feared retribution from the local community. This letter to you and MRFF is the result. It seems that you, Mikey, and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation are our only hope for relief. Please help us!

(name withheld)

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