Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 22, 1993 TAG: 9309220214
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Some of those parents will meet tonight to discuss plans to set up an alternative to the Mount Tabor Nursery School and Day-Care Center their children now attend.
"Parents felt very betrayed and hurt" by the Mount Tabor board, said Randall Bowling, one of the organizers of tonight's meeting.
Bowling and other parents say they were never consulted about the proposed changes in the center's curriculum and were given only three weeks' notice of the plan.
He and other parents are concerned about the content of the proposed religious instruction and about the effects the segregation of children during that instruction might have.
"Children 4 or 5 years old are going to wonder why some children are separated," Bowling said. "We don't feel like at that age" the children are ready to understand that, he said.
Administrators of the center admit they never expected the deluge of opposition to a plan to offer three hours a week of voluntary religious instruction.
The Rev. Richard Gilbert, pastor of Slusser's Chapel Church of God, says the day-care center's board only wanted to incorporate non-sectarian Christian religious instruction on a voluntary basis.
The board consulted with state regulatory officials before offering the elective instruction, he said.
The Slusser's Chapel church began the day-care center and owns its facilities. The church also appoints the center's board of directors, the majority of whom are church members.
Rapid church growth over the past three years prompted a self-study that included the day-care center, Gilbert said. That included trying to figure out how to coordinate the growth of the center with the church.
The center's board voted to begin offering religious instruction as a way to fulfill the church's "obligation" to its "first and foremost responsibility" of spreading the Christian faith, Gilbert said.
He insists that some parents misinterpreted the church's intentions. The program was to include the teaching of familiar Bible stories and prayers, such as the Lord's Prayer and table grace.
The instruction would not have taught doctrine particular to the Church of God or any other creed, Gilbert said.
Since it was to be voluntary, he said, it would not jeopardize what he characterized as the small amount of federal funds the center receives.
Plans for the curriculum change not only offended many parents, but staff members as well. At least 13 of the center's 25 employees have resigned effective Oct. 1, including its 10-year director, Gluben Essen.
Many parents and employees who met with Gilbert and at least one board member last week to express their concerns said they left that meeting dissatisfied.
Parents presented a petition at that meeting asking the board to delay any curriculum change for three years, not to accept the staff resignations and to provide for parent representation on the board.
At a special meeting Monday night, the board voted to delay any new curriculum until after Jan. 1.
The board did accept the 13 resignations, however, and declined to consider the request for parental representation.
David Lotts, whose 6-year-old daughter attends Mount Tabor, considers that a partial victory but will move his child Oct. 1.
"They did give us that grace period," he said. He considered himself "very fortunate" to have been able to find a center with an opening at this time of year.
Most day-care centers are full, Bowling said, and even if the parents decide to start a new facility, they will have to make some temporary arrangements. No one has been able to get a count of the parents who might be interested, but Bowling said there is "pretty strong interest," judging by the number of parents he talked to.
Gilbert, the Slusser's Chapel pastor, says he wishes the outgoing director his best and that he would not hesitate to recommend her.
Contrary to some rumors, he said, the Mount Tabor center "is not going to close." He said the board did not anticipate any trouble finding qualified staff to replace those who will be leaving Oct. 1.
Postponing action on the curriculum allows those who want to find alternative care for their children a chance to do so, he says.
"We don't want to seem hard-nosed about this," Gilbert said, but "some will leave, and many more will come."
"The board wanted this, and the church is behind it. It's unfortunate some parents reacted this way."
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.