WEAVERVILLE — A Pagan mom is upset Bibles were made available to her fifth-grade son and other students at a Buncombe County intermediate school.
Ginger Strivelli was outraged when she learned her son brought home a Bible he picked up Monday from his school, North Windy Ridge. She was further angered when she complained to school officials, who were not apologetic.
“It’s totally inappropriate they think they can get away with this,” Strivelli said. “It’s absolutely unbelievable and their attitude is ridiculous.”
Jackie Byerly, principal at North Windy Ridge, defended the availability of the Bibles. She said they were not handed out, and students had the option to take them. She checked with Superintendent Tony Baldwin and was given permission to make them available.
She said the Bibles arrived Monday morning from a local group of Gideons International, and the box containing the books was opened in the main office. Byerly said the students picked them up during their break time.
“If another group wishes to do the same, I plan on handling that the same way as I have handled this,” she said.
Strivelli said her son was in class when the teacher said students could leave and pick up a Bible from the school’s main office. She says her son did so because everyone else left, and it was an opportunity to get out of class. He told her a teacher handed him the Bible.
Strivelli said she is not attacking Christianity. “I would be just as angry if it had been Jewish, Hindu, Pagan or Muslim,” she said.
School system officials said the decision to have the Bibles available is consistent with other literature and items given to schools.
Spokeswoman Jan Blunt said there isn’t an announcement made over the loudspeaker; teachers let students know the Bibles are available. Gideons International has long placed free Bibles in hotels and hospitals.
“They don’t talk with students,” Blunt said. “They’re not allowed to make a presentation. They quite literally drop off a box and leave them there. They are not handed out at all.”
Strivelli said she plans to see if the school will, in fact, allow other religious literature to be dropped off and made available for students.
“You couldn’t even fathom them doing it with the Koran or a Pagan spell book,” she said.
Stringer said her son brought home a permission slip Monday to watch “How to Train Your Dragon,” a PG movie. “But he didn’t need a permission slip to pick up a Bible,” she said incredulously.
Byron Ballard, an active Pagan in Asheville and freedom of religion advocate, said the situation is “terribly inappropriate.” She said she plans to contact the school system’s legal department and the local American Civil Liberties Union.
“I have to say in a public school the distribution of any religious material is problematic,” she said. “It is no doubt inappropriate and potentially illegal.”
Ginger Strivelli was outraged when she learned her son brought home a Bible he picked up Monday from his school, North Windy Ridge. She was further angered when she complained to school officials, who were not apologetic.
“It’s totally inappropriate they think they can get away with this,” Strivelli said. “It’s absolutely unbelievable and their attitude is ridiculous.”
Jackie Byerly, principal at North Windy Ridge, defended the availability of the Bibles. She said they were not handed out, and students had the option to take them. She checked with Superintendent Tony Baldwin and was given permission to make them available.
She said the Bibles arrived Monday morning from a local group of Gideons International, and the box containing the books was opened in the main office. Byerly said the students picked them up during their break time.
“If another group wishes to do the same, I plan on handling that the same way as I have handled this,” she said.
Strivelli said her son was in class when the teacher said students could leave and pick up a Bible from the school’s main office. She says her son did so because everyone else left, and it was an opportunity to get out of class. He told her a teacher handed him the Bible.
Strivelli said she is not attacking Christianity. “I would be just as angry if it had been Jewish, Hindu, Pagan or Muslim,” she said.
School system officials said the decision to have the Bibles available is consistent with other literature and items given to schools.
Spokeswoman Jan Blunt said there isn’t an announcement made over the loudspeaker; teachers let students know the Bibles are available. Gideons International has long placed free Bibles in hotels and hospitals.
“They don’t talk with students,” Blunt said. “They’re not allowed to make a presentation. They quite literally drop off a box and leave them there. They are not handed out at all.”
Strivelli said she plans to see if the school will, in fact, allow other religious literature to be dropped off and made available for students.
“You couldn’t even fathom them doing it with the Koran or a Pagan spell book,” she said.
Stringer said her son brought home a permission slip Monday to watch “How to Train Your Dragon,” a PG movie. “But he didn’t need a permission slip to pick up a Bible,” she said incredulously.
Byron Ballard, an active Pagan in Asheville and freedom of religion advocate, said the situation is “terribly inappropriate.” She said she plans to contact the school system’s legal department and the local American Civil Liberties Union.
“I have to say in a public school the distribution of any religious material is problematic,” she said. “It is no doubt inappropriate and potentially illegal.”
