My letter to the school

Dear Principal _____________,

I was concerned to learn that my son was handed a copy of the New Testament of the Christian Bible after school today. He was given this while exiting the gate and lining up to board the school bus to come home. To this end the gentleman, who I believe was representative of Gideon's International based on the copy my child was given, may not have broken any law, but I do have concerns about his actions.

I find the tactics of the Gideon unsavory, to say the least. While the Gideon was not on school grounds he was blocking the students' access to the buses, so they had no choice to ignore him before boarding. My son reported that the man put the orange book into his hand before he could ask what it was, then refused to take it back when he didn't want it. Further, I have taught my children, as many parents have, not to receive gifts from strangers. The content or intent of that gift notwithstanding, for a Gideon to aggressively hand my child something without my permission, teaches my child to ignore parental guidance and favor the guidance of a stranger who has best intentions in mind. Finally, I am certain there are safety rules that ensure students are not distracted while boarding the bus, that their school materials are put away so they may use their hands to assist them and prevent an accident. If a Gideon is making his way through the students, be it on a city sidewalk, that directly conflicts with safety rules.

For purposes of safety and to prevent the proselytizing of a captive audience, I hope that the Gideon is not acting with your permission. As such I am asking that you contact Gideons International and ask them not to distribute bibles at Rio Vista, citing school safety regulations. Should the Gideons protest I would like for you to contact the city regarding the sidewalk in front of the school where the buses pick up and drop of students, work with the Gideons to establish an acceptable area on public property that does not interfere with school operations, like boarding a bus. Also that you establish with them firm guidelines for students who do not wish to receive their wares. Lastly, on the off chance that the Gideons are acting with your permission I ask that you rescind that permission, in writing, immediately. If you choose not to rescind that permission, I would ask that you research religious organizations that distribute free literature from at least three other non-Christian sects and invite them to pass out their religious texts to bus riders who can't refuse them, providing equal time for all sects.

I am well supportive of the religious and speech rights the Gideons exercise; however, from the sound of it their expression may be infringing on the students' rights, which we can both agree is unacceptable. I look to you as the administrator of our school to enforce safety rules and protect the rights of the children under your care. I thank you for your time and look forward to hearing from you as to how we will proceed.

Best Regards,

Al Rodriguez