FFRF stopped a White Bluffs Elementary School in Washington from promoting prayer and worship in school flyers. Meetings in the school by All Pro Dad, a private organization which focuses on religious programming, were advertised in a flyer sent home in children’s backpacks that failed to indicate the event was not school-sponsored. The meetings were also noted in the school calendar along with official school events.
“The circumstances surrounding ‘All Pro Dad’ events would lead a reasonable observer to view it as school-sponsored,” wrote FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel in his Jan. 14 letter to Rick Schulte, the Superintendent of Richland School District.
“It was promoted on the school events calendar along with official school-sponsored events. School resources were used to send home an advertisement for the event which did not contain a disclaimer of school endorsement. Because of the religious aspects of the programming, Richland School District must take measures to address parental concerns regarding school involvement in this event.”
FFRF received word in late January that the advertisement was added as a clinical error, and will not be included in the school calendar anymore. FFRF was also informed a new policy was adopted saying that the materials or announcements promoting religion may not be distributed by non-students or on the behalf of non-students.