THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 15, 1994 TAG: 9412140218
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: John Pruitt
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Once upon a time, I dismissed as extremists those who said there'd come a day when religion not only would have no place in much of American society but would be banned.
I've never been much for conspiracy theories, the ones claiming that ``they'' are doing such and such to us, but I'm beginning to believe that political correctness - whatever that is - may be as much a threat as some people say.
All this cropped up when the Suffolk School Board voted last week for a policy that is supposed to keep school performing groups within the fence of church and state separation. The policy - as faulty as it is - resulted because of Supreme Court rulings, according to the Virginia School Boards Association.
Laws of the land result from the rulings. But that doesn't mean that the extremes to which we're going so as not to offend anyone or to avoid even the possibility of offending anyone - political correctness - don't continue to deprive us of things that anyone would be hard-pressed to link to harm.
Case in point: Suffolk school performing groups appearing in churches, something they've done for decades, something that doubtlessly strengthens the ties of schools with the community.
And beyond that, something that's educational. Give students credit. They're invited to churches to perform, not to preach or to be preached to. Regardless, it's a way of learning about different forms of worship and culture.
If they object to singing in churches, they can be excused without repercussion.
The policy: ``Student groups sponsored by the division shall not perform as part of a religious worship service.'' Otherwise, someone just might get the idea that the school system is endorsing the religious service.
Huh? So a school band marching in the Christmas parade is endorsing a community celebration that, Santa Claus and jingle bells aside, is linked to Christianity? But the chorus' singing at, say, Nestle Beverage Co., to express appreciation for the partnership with the school, is not endorsing this private business.
What we have here is separation of church and state taken to the extreme. The doctrine is to protect us from state-imposed religion, not even remotely to separate school performers from worship services.
Rather than rushing to adopt a policy of such potential impact, the School Board might have asked more questions:
What defines a worship service? Is it anything that takes place in a church, or is it OK for the school choir to sing at a church-sponsored Christmas party?
Setting has nothing to do with it, the school board attorney says, it's context.
That being so, who's the final arbitrator?
Somebody has to clarify the policy's abundant gray areas. Who?
No other Hampton Roads school system has such a restrictive policy. The pity is that Suffolk chose to be the leader.
Separation of schools from their communities is the last thing Suffolk needs. It would be hard to put a value on having performing groups go before residents whose tax dollars help pay for their education.
These groups are top-notch ambassadors. They show what is good about schools that often are maligned by ignorance.
As Dale Kittle, instrumental-music director at Lakeland High School, put it, ``Music transcends all boundaries.''
Tell that to the School Board, which voted 5-2 for a shaky policy that its legal adviser says puts the school district on firm legal ground. It's quicksand. by CNB