Help Protest Jesus Flyer Policy
Contact Madison, Wis. Schools & Madison Dailies
Why are parents receiving flyers saying, "Plant the Seeds of Faith in Jesus in Your Child at our Sunday School," in their children's backpacks?
September 25, 2007
Help the Freedom From Religion Foundation educate the Madison Metropolitan School District (Wis.) about why it should not be sending home flyers for churches in the backpacks of elementary-aged schoolchildren.
The protest was sparked by the recent distribution of a flyer by Grace Lutheran Church, which stated: "Plant the Seeds of Faith in Jesus in Your Child at our Sunday School."
As the Foundation wrote Supt. Art Rainwater: "This practice is objectionable on so many counts": overworked teachers must distribute religious literature at taxpayer expense, a captive audience of small children are being proselytized, and parents of diverse backgrounds are being overwhelmed with religious and commercial advertisements that may affront them.
The Foundation formally asked MMSD to amend its take-home flyer policy to restrict this service to school-sponsored or co-sponsored events. The Superintendent has absurdly referred to children's backpacks as a "mail pipeline" and a "limited public forum.
ACTION ALERT
No organization should benefit from free delivery of their advertisement at the expense of instructional or teacher preparation time.
Please send succinct and to the point e-mails or letters. Be firm but polite. We enjoy seeing your letters and responses, but for maximum effectiveness, write as an individual and send only "blind" copies of your e-mail to FFRF. Please use your name. "Local" taxpayers should identify themselves by mailing address as well. Thanks!
MEDIA
If you have not already sent a short letter to the editor on this subject, please contact the Madison dailies now. Note the hostile editorial cartoon in the Sunday Wisconsin State Journal.
Letters to the Editor
Wisconsin State Journal
P.O. 8058
Madison, WI 53708
wsjopine@madison.com
fax 252-6119
Name, street address and daytime phone number are required for verification. Only name and city will be published. Letters generally should be 250 words or less
Voice of the People
The Capital Times
PO Box 8060
Madison, WI 53708
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/letter/letter_form.php
Fax (608) 252-6445
All letters must be accompanied by a name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
CONTACT
Madison Metropolitan School District Supt. Art Rainwater
Madison Metropolitan School District
545 West Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53703-1995
Voice: (608) 663-1879
Fax: (608) 204-0342
comments@madison.k12.wi.us
Members of the Madison, Wis. School Board (some are sympathetic).
Arlene Silveira, President
asilveira@madison.k12.wi.us
Carol J. Carstensen, Treasurer
ccarstensen@madison.k12.wi.us
Maya Cole
mpcole@madison.k12.wi.us
Lucy Mathiak
lmathiak@madison.k12.wi.us
Lawrie Kobza, Vice President
lkobza@madison.k12.wi.us
Beth Moss
asilveira@madison.k12.wi.us
Johnny Winston, Jr., Clerk
jwinstonjr@madison.k12.wi.us
Joe Carlsmith, Student Representative
c/o MMSD
(Send written mail to Board Members c/o MMSD address or fax above. Madison, Wis. locals can find local phone numbers by visiting the MMSD website.)
Read FFRF letter to Supt. Rainwater (PDF)