Youth Pastors Barred From School After Complaints of Proselytizing

[SecularMotion]

A group of youth pastors in Bainbridge Island, Washington, have been barred from an area middle school following accusations that they were speaking to students about the Christian faith during the lunch hour.

Seattle's KIRO-TV reported that the Bainbridge Island School District has brought in outside investigators to determine if the pastors, who were working as cafeteria supervisors at Woodward Middle School, were guilty of evangelizing during school hours on district property.

“We can't ignore this,” declared school board president Mike Spence. “There are just too many serious issues to consider here. That’s pretty dangerous. It’s a pretty slippery slope I guess I would say.”

According to the allegations, students at the school reported to parents that the pastors were speaking to them about church, with one student calling the presence of the pastors at the school “creepy.”

http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/faith-and-morals/item/16741-youth-pastors-barred-from-school-after-complaints-of-proselytizing

[Shadowflash]

1. Good.

There is a time and place for everything and that is not it.

[cbayer]

2. FWIW, thenewamerican is the website of the John Birch Society.

[rug]

6. Good catch.

In addition to political topics, The New American also publishes articles about economics (from a free-enterprise perspective of course!), culture, and history. It is published by American Opinion Publishing, a wholly owned subsidiary of The John Birch Society.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/about

[get the red out]

3. Good decision by the school

You cannot trust people with a vested interest in getting converts to abide by rules against proselytizing. I'm so jaded at this point that I can't imagine "Pastors" having an interest in anything but that (well, except for promoting Republican candidates, they have an interest in that also).

[LuvNewcastle]

4. I agree. It's all about conversion and building their church membership.

That's their motive behind any contact with the public. Find the unbelievers and save them.

[Patiod]

5. I believe the Christianist phrase is "sharing their faith"

Ugh. They're angry that they aren't allowed to force others at the Air Force Academy to pray with them ("sharing their faith&quot and now they're angry that they can't preach at Middle School kids ("sharing their faith).

Here's my question to ANYONE who thinks this is okay:
- Is it also okay to allow Mormon missionaries to speak to students about the LDS faith?
- Is it also okay to allow Imams to speak to students about Islam?

[Link Speed]

7. I'd wager that this is happening everywhere

These youth pastors are probably out there and chatting up every lonely kid they can find.