One School Warns: The Gideons are Coming!
A Massachusetts School System Frets Over Planned Bible Give-Away
The “phone tree” message began just like any other.
“Good evening, this is Sean Gallagher, Principal of Beverly High School with a brief announcement.”
The principal went on to talk about plans the Gideon International group have for giving away free Bibles in front of two schools in Beverly, Massachusetts.
“The Superintendent of Schools and the Beverly Police were contacted by the Gideons International organization and informed they plan on distributing free Bibles outside of Briscoe Middle School and Beverly High School sometime this fall.
“This distribution will not occur on school property. This organization plans on distributing the Bibles on public sidewalks and walkways and the school administration will be notified only on the day of the distribution.”
Then Mr. Gallagher got to the heart of the message — a request for parents to discuss with their children on what to do when someone wants to give them a Bible, “I encourage you to discuss this scenario with your son or daughter and determine how you wish them to handle the situation. Thank you and have a great night.”
The Issue
In the past three years, other groups have stood in front of the schools and given out literature for other causes. Yet, the Beverly Schools didn’t notify parents about those groups. So, why was it necessary to let parents know about the Gideons?
Beverly School Superintendent Dr. James Hayes says that the concern is because of where the give-away will happen.
“We received a notice from the Gideons and I have a letter here, that specifically says their intention is to hand them out to high school students and middle school students,” Dr. Hayes said.
“It’s not simply in some other public place; it clearly is near the school. They’ll be confronting students and trying to pass out the Gideon Bibles.”
“Our reason for emphasizing that is only to make sure that students have some forethought as to how to deal with that interaction,” Dr. Hayes continued. “I wouldn’t want there to be some difficult situation for kids that they’re caught by surprise. So that’s purely the reason why—that know how to graciously deal with that situation.”
When asked if he was familiar with the Gideon’s practise in how they distribute Bibles, he said, “No.”
The Reaction
When told that the Gideons’ method is non-confrontational, Dr. Hayes didn’t change his position, “It’s not that we’re anticipating any particular problem; it’s just that it’s a very unusual circumstance for kids as they normally go about their business every day of coming to school — to be encountered with some unusual event.”
“They’re middle school kids and they’re high school kids and so it’s simply to help them anticipate and so their parents can help them anticipate in that interaction on how to deal with it. That’s all.”
“We try to do a similar thing sometimes when the media outlets are out on the public ways. Let’s say that one of the Boston media channels are there and they’re filming kids and interviewing kids,” Dr. Hayes said. “That’s an incredibly unusual event and these are young kids. We just want them to be better prepared as to how to deal with that graciously and not to get rattled. We don’t them to say, ‘O my what do I do?’ or, ‘What have I done?’”
“These are kids; these are impressionable kids, and that’s all.”
As the notice from Principal Sean Gallagher made clear, the distribution is planned for the public sidewalk.
The Gideons had no legal obligation to notify the school. To build relationships with the schools, the Gideons have a policy of notifying local authorities as a courtesy. The Gideons say they are aware that they are acting within their Constitutional rights according to the First Amendment.
The Superintendent said that his actions would be the same if they knew in advance that it was a Muslim group, “As I’ve just described, any unusual event that we’re aware of.”
However, when the school isn’t notified, it’s a game of playing catch-up.
“There’s someone out there and we have to find out, and so it’s hard always to prepare kids for that. That’s all it’s about. These are young kids and we’re preparing them for some unusual circumstance they could find themselves in.”
Dr. Hayes didn’t address the question of why Beverly Schools believe Bible distribution is an “unusual event.”
The subject of controversy, Gideon Bibles.
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