Buena Vista School District will reinforce its rules governing outside organizations and religious activity on school property after a September 23rd prayer gathering at Buena Vista High School prompted concerns about the participation of adults and district personnel.
The Chaffee County Times is reporting that the BV Board of Education discussed the “See You at the Pole” event at their September 28th meeting following an executive session in which board members conferenced with the district’s legal counsel about First Amendment issues and district facility use.
“See You at the Pole” is a nationwide evangelical Christian activist movement that has been promoting student-led prayer circles around school flagpoles since 1990. Because these prayer circles frequently happen on public school grounds, the movement has courted some controversy over the years.
During public comment about the issue at Monday’s meeting, parents and representatives from various organizations shared opinions on how, in this case, religious gathering should be handled on school property considering the separation of church and state. The district plans to communicate with students, staff and community organizations, including religious organizations, about what constitutes proper use of school property and the procedures required to obtain permission going forward.
Board President Casey Martin said in the Times article that “students praying on campus is quite honestly a beautiful thing to see,” but when adults organize or coordinate such gatherings and district employees or representatives participate publicly, that creates a different issue.
