Off-campus religious practices accepted by majority of FAHS student body

August 23, 2009  
Filed under Around Town, Individual Commentary

by Rafn Erlingsson

Article featured in ASNE’s National Edition

Separation of church and state is a concept that applies, or at least
is supposed to apply, in American schools.

It has been an issue argued about for a long time, and it’s impossible
to separate it completely. Different people have different beliefs and
views about the concept. Every day, thousands of Americans infringe
it by saying the Pledge of Allegiance and uttering the phrase “one
Nation under God”.

It’s important to some people to pledge the allegiance while others do
it occasionally and some don’t do it at all. Most people probably
don’t even realize that it is a religious statement.

“The founders of the constitution made sure that state was one thing
and church another. They didn’t want it together,” Government Teacher
Tony Swantz said.

However, every second Friday throughout the year, students can leave
school during lunch hours to go and eat with various church members
and listen to devotionals at the Methodist Church in Fort Atkinson.
They enjoy homemade food while the rest of FAHS eats school lunch and
attends classes.

“It is not violating [the concept] at all,” Junior David Ackatz said.
FAHS is a public school, regulated by the government. Students are
required to attend to school and they have their rights while they’re
in school. Included in that is the right to be in a religious-less
environment. However, the students have their right to leave.

“As long as they have parent permission under statute 118.155 of
Wisconsin State Statutes,” School District Administrator Dr. James
Fitzpatrick said.

The statute “requires the parent or person sponsoring religious
instruction to pay the costs of transportation to and from the release
time for religious instruction.”

Even so, it is in the law that they have right to practice their
religion in school.

“The way I understand current state law is that students have every
right to practice their faith on public grounds including schools,”
John Ackatz, the supervisor of Friday’s, said.

Students can pray, talk to their friends about their religion, and
read the Bible on campus.

“As long as it is not disruptive to the educational process,” Fitzpatrick said.
It seems like most FAHS students are pretty open minded about this and
do not care that they leave.

“I know of a lot of kids that leave during school hours for a lot
worse, stupid, less productive reasons,” Senior Ashley Farmer said.

It doesn’t bother her at all and she thinks it is a good thing to have
for students.

“It seems like a really positive thing to offer students so that they
have a constructive way to spend time together,” Farmer said.

Most other students agreed with Farmer.

“I don’t really mind. They are doing it for something that they
believe in,” Senior Alli Thompson said.

However, one student wasn’t sure about the religious part of leaving
school but liked the idea of food.

“I think that getting out of school for church stuff that is not
required is kind of pointless, but I wouldn’t turn down going to get
pizza,” Junior Cassie Rains said.

It seems like the majority of the FAHS student body does not mind it
if they do so. If a group wants to leave school to practice their
religion together, they should definitely do it. All they need is
reason, place and parent permission.

If they have all the requirements fulfilled, there is nothing in their
way. It sounds like a good concept, to have a good lunch, with some
possible Frostie Freeze, and talking about God and faith, and having
fun throughout all of that

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