Public high school baccalaurete includes worship, held at church (Fresno)

[Newsjock]

Letter to the editor:
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/lets_ed/story/10658277p-11443281c.html

Sherlock Holmes would call it "The Curious Case of the Shanghaied Baccalaureate." How else can one describe how the Buchanan High School graduation baccalaureate morphed from a secular event held on school grounds featuring an inspirational speaker, into the 2005 version, which was a Protestant fundamentalist worship service led by a minister and held at a church?

Curiouser still is the fact that in the official graduation literature, the Buchanan administration disavows any responsibility for the content or nature of this Clovis Unified School District function by claiming that a student committee of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Frontline Christian Club was given free rein to run the event.

Like the captain of a ship, the school administration is responsible no matter who is driving when the ship runs aground. The problem is, that this activity was so designed as to appease one group and exclude other Clovis Unified families. If Buchanan wants to continue this as a religious event, it needs to organize similar events at other churches -- there is a Muslim mosque close by, the Unitarian Universalists and the Buddhists are constructing buildings nearby, and I'm sure that the Catholics would be honored to host such an event.

Leslie Holbrook
Clovis

[havocmom]

1. Since a baccalaureate IS a religious event, what is the surprise?

If it were mandatory, I'd have a problem with it for a public school. Bet they are not, or at least I have never heard of one being required. They are generally very non-denominational. More of a time of giving thanks, acknowledging spiritual needs and recognizing some of the many facets of a population. Sometimes held in a church, sometimes in a public hall or park which can be utilized for private events, they have been around a long time.

I do not want prayers in schools. I also do not see why any group should deny any other group the right of religious expression. Fail to see a problem, except that some folks are giving fuel to the RR who are always looking for reasons to claim liberals hate religion and/or are persecuting Christians.

Gotta use some judgment about picking one's fight. Don't like the idea of a baccalaureate held at a church, don't go. :shrug: