We are seeing the story too often. Schools and towns coming under attack by godless people who demand that their rights supersede the rights of others. From the school choir to the town square even in conducting government business, the message is all too familiar, stop what we don’t like or we will sue.
SkyView Academy, an elementary school in Highlands Ranch, Colo., officially cut ties with Operation Christmas Child, an annual outreach to poor children that is operated by Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical Christian organization.
The school announced last week that it will be severing its relationship with Operation Christmas Child, ending two years of participation in the outreach, The Christian Post reported.
Students at SkyView had been participating in the program for the past two years as part of their community service project, and their efforts included raising donations for the program and assembling shoe boxes to hold the gifts for each needy child.
Both Skyview Academy and East Point Academy in West Columbia, South Carolina recently received letters from the American Humanist Association threatening lawsuits if the schools continued to participate in the program.
The letter warned that the school is violating the separation of church and state by facilitating student participation in a Christian outreach — one that shares the Bible’s central message along with items for kids in need.
So, looking to avoid a lawsuit, SkyView Academy sent a subsequent note to parents and explained that the school would be halting to project.
Some parents were so frustrated by the development that they planned a ”Religious Rights Rally” on Wednesday, where they assembled outside of the school to show support for Operation Christmas Child and to collect funds independent of the school.
It is unclear how much money was raised on Wednesday or whether the “Religious Rights Rally” was successful, but it seems some parents aren’t so willing to back down. Ruth VanSant’s daughter, Michaela, is one of the students who founded the Operation Christmas Child outreach at the school.
VanSant said that the effort “is still happening, according to The Denver Post. In addition to the Wednesday effort, materials will be collected on public property outside the school before and after each academic day starts.
Another parent responded to the American Humanist Association’s lawsuit threat by calling it “the definition of bullying.”
Kendal Unruh said that it is “tragic” that SkyView Academy “was bullied down.” And while she understands that the school does not want to enter a legal battle, she is hopeful that word gets out about the situation.
Christians are informed by scripture to do our best to keep the law of the land. Atheist and other godless groups are working hard to limit the freedom of religion of our students under the guise of separation of church and state.
We have an obligation to peacefully stand up for the freedom of religion that our children are granted by their creator. Even if our children are grown, we should be willing to fight for all children. The all need the experience of helping others and a shoebox is a first step.
I have seen it in my own children. We gave them the privilege of taking part in this and other programs that help the poor and they still enjoy doing so to this day.
We can not allow the evil to spread. We cannot allow freedom to be taken away so easily. We all must take part in doing what is right.
