ICC Note: Two public schools in Ohio have temporarily put their student Bible clubs on hold after receiving complaints from the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF). A local church’s website initially stated that the clubs were led by “volunteers or community youth pastors;” however, this information was taken down after the pastor said that the information was inaccurate and that students were leading the groups, but inviting pastors to attend their meetings. The FFRF maintained that it was unlawful for outside adults to participate in any aspect of these religious groups during school hours.

By Heather Clark

02/28/2016 United States (Christian News Network) – At least two schools in an Ohio county have temporarily suspended meetings of student Bible clubs following a complaint from a professing atheist organization.

Earlier this month, the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent letters to four school districts in Ohio after an unidentified resident provided a screenshot of a church website that said that area Bible clubs were led by “volunteers or community youth pastors.”

The mention on the Faith Memorial Church website had been removed at the time the letters were sent, and Jonathan Morgan, the pastor of the church, said that the text was taken down because it was inaccurate. Only students had been leading the Bible clubs, but pastors were allowed to visit as per student invitations.

“We are writing to request an investigation into the involvement of outside adults in religious clubs in your district,” the letter from FFRF read. “If FMC representatives have indeed been leading student Bible studies, those clubs are not bona fide student-initiated clubs and should be dissolved.”

It asserted that not only would it be unlawful for the lunch-time clubs to be led by anyone other than students, but that church leaders could not participate in the Bible clubs either.

“It is illegal for public schools to allow students to lead religious instruction on school property during the school day,” FFRF wrote. “Even though the Equal Access Act (EAA) dictates that public secondary schools may not discriminate against student organizations based on their religious, political, philosophical or other beliefs … it is illegal for outside adults to regularly participate in, organize or lead student religious organizations.”

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