Published: January 07, 2009 11:59 pm      

Distribution of materials in schools rejected by Mineral Board of Education

Decision on what’s available, what’s not is superintendent’s

KEYSER, W.Va. — With a feeling that a policy would be too confining and that there hadn’t been complaints in the past, the five-member Mineral County Board of Education unanimously rejected a policy on passive distribution of materials in high schools.

“We have people who don’t believe what the majority of us do,” Terry LaRue, board president, said. “Do I want my child exposed to atheist ideas, agnostic ideas? With all this said, my personal feeling is, what we have is not broke, why change it?”

Board member Mary Aronhalt said that under the current method of approving materials, decisions had been made by School Superintendent Skip Hackworth, who would serve as the same authority if the passive policy was put into place officially.

Though earlier in the Tuesday evening meeting William “Butch” Wall criticized Hackworth’s decision-making in these types of situations, Aronhalt said she has faith in his decisions and is comfortable with him in this role.

Hackworth said he would be “happy” to continue without the policy, but said the drafted form used guidelines set by a 1998 Court of Appeals decision concerning Upshur County. The decision by that court said non-school-related materials, which could include religious items, could be made available to students on tables at set times, but had to contain a disclaimer they were not school material. Representatives from the group providing the materials could not be present, to ensure the students would not feel pressured to take items.

Bus driver Connie Murlin said she is not opposed to the idea of distribution of materials, specifically Bibles by the Gideons, in schools.

“In our school system, I see our kids aren’t afraid to express themselves,” she said. “I don’t think the kids will feel pressured to take it, even if they were there giving it out, and I don’t think the kids will feel pressured to read it.”

Bob Shook, board member, said that in taking on an elected office, there are times when personal beliefs sometimes have to change or be set aside.

He gave the example of a panel held at the state level, when a member of another county’s board was insistent in telling a lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union that he wouldn’t stop opening each meeting with a prayer and that the lawyer couldn’t tell him otherwise. He said that things changed after it came to litigation.

“People didn’t understand the consequences of practicing beliefs while in an elected position,” Shook said.

Aronhalt, Shook and LaRue all said they had gotten a number of calls and people talking to them at events or on the street about this issue. A vast majority of those people, they said, were opposed.

Shook added that not passing some form of policy would not deny students the right to practice their own religion through carrying a Bible to school or saying a prayer at the lunch table, as long as none of these are led by an adult.

With the policy denied, the decision will be left with Hackworth, based upon what he deems best and the most legal approach.

Sarah Moses can be reached at smoses@times-news.com.