Instead he stood right outside the campus and followed the kids who walked home.
I say we settle this like modern men! We'll get the best 4 strategy gamers from both the Christian and non-Christian sides, let them digitally duke it out, and to the winner goes the spoils.
I do not agree with the intentions of the tracts, but I support the students' right to free speech (hate speech notwithstanding). The argument that it will cause peer pressure seems like a double standard to me. There is peer pressure in every school community, and whether you like it or not, it is impossible to regulate. The next best thing that the school can do is to mediate disputes and prevent their students from abusing their right to free speech by spreading hateful things. As you all know I am not religious at all, but frankly I find it silly to prevent kids from talking about their religious beliefs in school, provided that it is a polite discussion and not a hatemongerfest.
In another class (not mine) there was an assignment to make a poster with stamps or something stupid like that. One girl decided to make her poster a pro-life one, with the text "YOUR MOTHER CHOSE LIFE." Do I agree with it? No. Do I think it's something that needs to be shared? No. But was it at least a tasteful sign? Yes, and therefore I saw no reason to object to it. (I did, however, leave a little anonymous post-it next to it that simply read, "CHOSE" in bold red letters.)
Another time, my English class got an assignment where we had to compose a persuasive speech about a topic we are passionate about, and read it in front of the class. One girl wrote her speech about how her Christian faith makes her feel safe and secure and helps her though hard times. Do I agree with it? No, in fact I thought it was trite and clichéd. But even though it was religious, its content was tame. I'm just pointing out that letting kids speak their mind about religion doesn't mean that the school has to tolerate the wharrgarbl.
As for me, I do not distribute Gideon Bibles, but rather Tijuana Bibles.
I don't even think 'hand out bibles, then represent ALL religions!' is a legitimate argument. First of all, who decides which religions get their material handed out? There are literally thousands upon thousands of religions in the world--some are obviously more popular than others, but it would be absolutely totally impossible to let people come around to hand out material on every religion. Do you just pick the ones represented in the school population? That way lies madness. Every time someone new moves to the area, or someone converts, then you have to invite ANOTHER religious representative to come to the campus to hand out holy books or whatever. And what if there's an outcry from a small, but vocal, group within the community who believe in a religion that's completely crackpot or in some way dangerous? Scientology leaps to mind, but there are others--after all, cults aren't unheard of--and there's every possibility you might get someone who actually believes they're a Jedi. What do you do in that case, if your rule is to represent EVERY religion? You can't very well turn them away but at the same time there is absolutely no way you can defend or justify letting that kind of lunacy onto a school campus.
Obviously this is just a slippery slope fallacy but it is worth thinking about. Saying you have to include every religion to make it fair just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
In any case, I don't think religion of any kind belongs on a public school campus. Unless there is a serious, unbiased class being taught on religions, which is completely different than letting people hand out scripture to the students. Religion is a personal matter and something that should be left up to everyone to decide for themselves. Allowing Gideons to pass out bibles on school grounds is like allowing people from the makeup counter at JC Penny give girls makeovers at recess--there's nothing wrong with wearing makeup and there's nothing wrong with deciding to be a Christian, but these are things that have NOTHING to do with school or education, should be something everyone decides for themselves to participate in or not, and the last thing you want is for kids to feel pressured into either of them.
There was a group of kids that used to hand out the tracts. I dunno if I was considered a challenge or what...When I was in highschool, I wore the BDUs and combat boots, the button up black shirt and the big black leather trench coat. Add really long hair and a bunch of chains and I swear they were practically jizzing at the idea of converting me.
One day, they handed me a track and I ate it. In front of them. Loudly.
No more tracts. 8)
Oh hey, I just realized that's my school board that banned them. Good for them. It's good to hear about my school board doing something rational. Pity about the hate mail though, I thought people around here were smarter than that.