school administrators try to physically block parents from hosting jesus lunch

[Utinil]

Source: http://eagnews.org/exclusive-video-s...g-jesus-lunch/
Better written source with more details, but foxnews: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/...sus-lunch.html

TLDR; at bottom

MIDDLETON, Wis. – Middleton-Cross Plains school district officials are doing more than urging parents to stop serving “Jesus Lunches” to high school students at a public park every Tuesday.

They have been physically trying to block the parents from using the park.

School officials set up cones to block parents from using the parking lot at Fireman’s Park, near Middleton High School, on Tuesday, according to Phil Stamman, an attorney who is representing the mothers involved with the Jesus Lunch program.

Donald Johnson, the superintendent of the Middleton-Cross Plains district, was among the school officials who tried to order the parents from using the park, Stamman said.

The parents ignored school officials’ orders to turn away, according to Stamman. They parked along the street, walked into the park and set up the food for the lunch, anyway, he said.

“They coned up the parking lot, waited there and confronted my clients and told them to leave,” Stamman said. “(The parents) responded how I recommended. They walked right past them. The superintendent repeatedly tried to confront them. He was the first one. But they just moved on.”

The school district claims it has jurisdiction over the city-owned park because it leases it from the city during school hours. But that lease does not prevent citizens from entering or using the park for any legal reason, according to Stamman.

“Case law is very clear about that,” Stamman said. “The public park can be leased to another public entity, but it’s a non-exclusive lease. It’s not fenced off and it’s still open to the public. Because of that the laws associated with the First Amendment still apply.

“Nobody else was being told not to walk into the park.”

Beth Williams, one of the organizers of the student lunches, issued a statement defending her group’s right to use the park.

“Fireman’s Park – a public park owned by the city of Middleton – remains accessible to everyone in the public for the purposes of assembly and free speech,” the statement said, according to Madison.com. “By law, the lease agreement between the city and the school district of Middleton does not privatize the park.”

School district officials could not be reached for comment.

The weekly lunches, involving parents meeting with students to eat, discuss their Christian faith and distribute Bibles, have been going on for years. It started on the high school campus with a handful of students meeting their mothers for lunch, but became much bigger over the past few years and moved off campus, eventually to Fireman’s Park, according to media reports.

“In the spring of 2014 … 10 students invited their friends to a free lunch and a brief spiritual talk in the open air pavilion across from the high school,” according to AllGodsPeople.com. “The group meets for eight weeks in the fall, and eight weeks in the spring. The first week 40 students showed up, then 70, the next week,100 students came. The five moms make all the meals, set the tables, arrange for the speakers and clean up, every week.

“Last fall the word had spread (pun intended) and the first week 200 kids showed up, then 300, then 400-450 every week! That represents 25% of the Middleton High School student body, meeting every week for a free hot lunch and listening to a Christian message.”

School district officials recently sent a letter to parents, expressing concerns about the event and urging parents to end it.

The letter said school officials “believe that religious or political events do not have a place in our schools or on our campus, except when sponsored by a student group in accordance with our rules, which require prior approval.

“In addition, many students have conveyed to us their concern about a group offering free food to incentivize participation in a religious event on campus. The result of which has a divisive impact on our learning community. As such, we will continue to work with the parent group to find an amicable solution.”

The school district has also expressed concern about the quality of the food being served to students, but Stammen rejected that argument.

“Their true motivation is clear – it’s the religious speech (they object to),” said Stamman, who added that school officials have sought the help of local police to evict the parents, but they have declined to intervene. “Students are free to go a local gas station to buy food, a friend’s house, McDonalds. It’s not an issue with food. The problem is the religious message and the fact that it’s becoming too effective.”

Stamman said the parents could take legal action to protect their right to use the park, serve the lunches and speak freely about their religious faith.

“I’ve been talking to a lawyer for the city and my clients and the Alliance Defending Freedom,” he said. “We’re reviewing our options. We have not decided how to move forward yet.”

TLDR: A high school in Wisconsin has an open campus lunch policy. Mothers of some of the students do a weekly free lunch in the park across the street and give a short message about Christianity. The school has tried to claim that they basically own the park during school hours due to a lease with the city. The lease states that they park must remain open to the public, the mothers have a permit to use the pavilion from the city. School Administrators (including the Superintendent) have tried to physically block them from setting up their lunches there. Over 500 students attend these lunches weekly.


This just sickens me that the school would try this. Their claims about concern over food safety, particularly allergies, come off as very weak, considering they allow their students to go out to eat, where they may encounter allergens. The mothers have a permit to use the pavilion and have confirmed with the city that the permit is indeed valid. I am not Christian (I am actually Agnostic) but have no problem with the group preaching at their event. If students are really going home sick, sitting in school hallways crying, or are in other ways traumatized by the fact that this is happening, then they seriously need to get psychological help. Seeing as how this site tends to lean towards anti-religious, I would love to get people's thoughts. Also please do not turn his thread into a discussion about Christianity or organized religion in general, as that is not allowed and may get you infracted and/or this thread shut down.

[Spectral]

I'm just jealous of how many people apparently have nothing much to do in the middle of the day.

[Northy]

If they were Muslims they'd be allowed to use the park. Christians aren't low enough on the victimhood pyramid for such benefits.

ps I'm an atheist calling out silliness as I see it, not taking religious sides.

Also I live right where this happened in Wisconsin. Keep in mind that this is among the most liberal areas in the state, which isn't a bad thing as I identify as liberal. Again, just calling out silliness as I see it.

[Biomega]

Religion has no place in education, and certainly it shouldn't try and influence impressionable young people with gifts. While the school does indeed not technically own the park, it's still blatantly obvious that it as an institution is being abused by essentially providing a convenient gathering of people that are then preyed upon for purposes of proselytizing. Just because the students are on lunch break and not on school grounds doesn't mean the school isn't responsible for them (morally for sure, legally I'm not sure about about US law but it is like that where I'm from at least).

I do agree that the "food allergies hurr durr" argument is ridiculous. Call it by its name. This is missionary work, nothing else. I'm now waiting for someone to hold Muhammad Lunches with free food and talk about Islam. See how precious that freedom of speech and religion is then, and who goes apeshit over it.

Hands off the kids, I say.

[Paranoid Android]

I would love Fox News reporting on this if it was teachings of Islam in a park. It seems convoluted as far as religion in schools but I would think that the principal cannot block the luncheons.

[mizeri]

If they were Muslims they'd be allowed to use the park. Christians aren't low enough on the victimhood pyramid for such benefits.

ps I'm an atheist calling out silliness as I see it, not taking religious sides.

Also I live right where this happened in Wisconsin. Keep in mind that this is among the most liberal areas in the state, which isn't a bad thing as I identify as liberal. Again, just calling out silliness as I see it.

if muslims were gathering, the rednecks would be all over that shit

[Dread Pirate Phayde]

Probably mad that the Jesus Mom's are serving better food than the school cafeteria.

[Northy]

if muslims were gathering, the rednecks would be all over that shit

Not in Middleton, Wisconsin. Or honestly, anywhere in Wisconsin. Not a whole lot of rednecks around here. There's plenty of backwoods rural types, but they aren't the cliche that is often seen down south.

[Phookah]

If they were Muslims they'd be allowed to use the park. Christians aren't low enough on the victimhood pyramid for such benefits.

ps I'm an atheist calling out silliness as I see it, not taking religious sides.

Also I live right where this happened in Wisconsin. Keep in mind that this is among the most liberal areas in the state, which isn't a bad thing as I identify as liberal. Again, just calling out silliness as I see it.

ha ha ha no. If muslims were trying to entice students into learning about islam during school lunch hours it would have been more "The muslims are trying to spread their doctrine! Sharia law is cominggggg"
OT: I think its mildly scummy to circumvent the whole "No religion at school" thing with offers of free food at the park during school lunch hours, though its completely within their rights to do so.

[The Casualty]

I see no issues with having the weekly lunch across the street from the school. To me, it just sounds like the school is trying to be obtuse about the whole thing.

I echo this exactly. Though leased, it's a city owned public park that at least going by the wording of the article, still has to remain open for public use (which is what this is) even during school hours. Nothing is or has to be sanctioned by any board of education or school.

[Dextroden]

"The problem is the religious message and the fact that it’s becoming too effective.”

So, this is a fun statement. Would the school be supported if they said this about the Muhammad lunch?

[Powerogue]

While religion does not have a place in school in the way they're trying to push, they do seem to technically be doing nothing wrong because it's not school-sponsored.

If the school finds these people disruptive enough they can always just recall the lease, removing the open campus lunch policy. The students wouldn't be happy obviously, but would hopefully direct their anger at the right people.

[Deleted]

Do you Americans get Tea and Toast in uni towns?

I remember the good old uni days, get blasted till about 4am, hit up the church for some free Tea and toast whilst bantering some chap trying to convert us. Good old jesus.

[Templar 331]

Why are students allowed off campus during school hours? One of the reasons you keep them on campus is to ensure their protection. And in this case protection from cults.

"Come little children. We have Jesus and cookies. "

Infracted

[Garnier Fructis]

Seems like a reach to me.

I think it's rather shitty what the parents are doing, but it's a public space outside of school, so whatever.

It's not like they're trying to donate Bibles to the school library or anything.

[Templar 331]

The students wouldn't be happy obviously, but would hopefully direct their anger at the right people.

They're teenagers. Chances are they won't. :/

[Dextroden]

While religion does not have a place in school in the way they're trying to push, they do seem to technically be doing nothing wrong because it's not school-sponsored.

If the school finds these people disruptive enough they can always just recall the lease, removing the open campus lunch policy. The students wouldn't be happy obviously, but would hopefully direct their anger at the right people.

Except no. They'd lay the blame at the feet of the Jesus Lunch people like they banned prom for everyone over them.

[mizeri]

Not in Middleton, Wisconsin. Or honestly, anywhere in Wisconsin. Not a whole lot of rednecks around here. There's plenty of backwoods rural types, but they aren't the cliche that is often seen down south.

i have ran into far more racist people in the northern states then the southern states actually, PA and MN being the worst

[Gorsameth]

Highschool?
Those kids know well enough that Jesus never existed, I dont see a problem with this. Tho I would maintain supervision if I were the school.

[Aori]

Highschool?
Those kids know well enough that Jesus never existed, I dont see a problem with this. Tho I would maintain supervision if I were the school.

It isn't on school grounds. What is the school going to supervise?