Mobile Menu

California schools’ religious promotion ends (March 18, 2017)

Two instances of unconstitutional religious promotion by staff in California's Del Norte County Unified School District were brought to FFRF's attention.

A weekly bulletin distributed to staff at Del Norte High School and put on display in the school's hallway contained a religious saying at the end which read: "Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God." FFRF was also informed that at the district's Bess Maxwell Elementary School, a cafeteria worker had handed out pencils to students on Valentine's Day with notes attached reading "Jesus [heart]'s You and I Do Too!"

FFRF Legal Fellow Madeline Ziegler wrote to Del Norte County USD Superintendent Jeff Harris on March 17.

Harris wrote back that day, informing FFRF that the high school principal had dealt with the religious wording in the bulletin and that the district administration was addressing the inappropriate gift given out on Valentine's Day.