Jesus lunches

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:27 pm

MIDDLETON, Wis. -

Middleton-Cross Plains School District officials would like a gathering known as the "Jesus Lunch" held near the high school to stop.

The lunches, held each Tuesday in Fireman's Park adjacent to Middleton High School, have reportedly been drawing hundreds of students each week to eat food provided by parents and talk about the Christian faith.

"In one year what started out with less than 40 kids has grown into a lunch that serves almost 400 kids or a fourth of Middleton High School," a video posted online about the event says. "What makes this even more amazing is that while we provide the lunches, it’s the students who bring their friends and discuss a different biblical topic each week among themselves. It is entirely voluntary."

“What it’s all about is some mothers, they bring a lot of food to the park by the school and then people eat it and they also have bible stuff there as well,” Middleton senior Logan Kossel said.

In a letter sent to parents Tuesday, high school Principal Steve Plank and District Administrator Don Johnson said that the city leases the park, making it part of school property and subject to school rules about both parent- and student-organized activities.

Plank said the event violates school and district policy because parents are not following food safety standards, are not checking in as visitors to the school, and the event seems to be adult-organized and not initiated by students.

“At some level we want to be very direct and say, ‘This is not approved by the school district,’ and I think right now they are saying, ‘We don’t care and we believe we have the right to come in because it’s a park even though you’ve leased it,” Johnson said.

"The parents contend that it is their First Amendment right to provide free food and hold a religiously oriented event on this property during school hours," the letter to parents says. "The district believes that we have jurisdiction of this leased property, which is part of our campus.

“They have a First Amendment right and a right to access facilities after hours. All those are accurate, but we don’t necessarily allow the Hindu community and the Buddhist community and Islamic community and Wiccans and others to come in and proselytize and bring their message to our students” Johnson said.

"We believe that religious or political events do not have a place in our school or on our campus, except when sponsored by a student group in accordance with our rules, which require prior approval. In addition, many students have conveyed to us their concern about a group offering free food to incentivize participation in a religious event on campus. The result of which has a divisive impact on our learning community. As such, we will continue to work with the parent group to find an amicable resolution."

“There are some students that when they know this day is coming, they will leave school early. (We) have some students that staff will find sitting in the hallway crying,” Plank said.

“A lot of students feel that it’s not OK to have religious affiliation on school grounds, and other students also think not everyone has to participate in it. They’re not being forced to, so it’s not an issue so there’s kind of a clash there,” Kossel said.

The organizers of the lunch issued a statement to News 3.

"We would like to thank you for this opportunity to hear our story, as the Middleton School District has not yet approached us to discuss what we do or how the Jesus Lunch began. We have invited them to attend, but as of date they have declined.

"The question here is not us being in opposition to the school, but rather that we have a right to be in Fireman's Park. Although the school district contends that it is school grounds because they have a lease, the public still has a right to use the park during school hours."

Organizers said the park can be used by the public.

"By law, the lease agreement between the city and the School District of Middleton does not privatize the park," the statement said.

Organizers said the City of Middleton acknowledges their rental agreement for the Fireman's Park pavilion.

"Our mission statement for Jesus Lunch is 'food for the body, nutrition for the soul.' Our goal each week is to share a biblical truth. Students who come to lunch are not required to listen to or participate in the 3-5 minute message," the statement said.

Organizers said the Jesus Lunch began in the fall of 2014 with a small group of our children and their friends.

"Students that attend Jesus Lunch have expressed their desire for Jesus Lunch to continue," the statement said. "The Jesus Lunch has become the highlight of the week for students and those involved!

Middleton City Administrator Mike Davis told News 3 Wednesday afternoon that the lease agreement the city has with the district allows “contemporaneous use” by members of the general public “from time to time.”

Davis said the district has the right to enforce its rules in the park, “as long as they don’t conflict with the interests of the general public.”

The group has legal representation, and plans to hold the lunch again next week.

District officials said they are looking for an amicable solution.

Insert poptart resets here.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:52 pm

Do they feed the whole crowd with five loaves of bread and two muskies?

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:38 pm

Let me get this straight....

The thumper parents think it's ok for religious adults to teach on campus, but sex education shouldn't be taught at school.

And people wonder why the teen pregnancy rate is so high?

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:10 pm

Diego in Seattle wrote:Let me get this straight....

The thumper parents think it's ok for religious adults to teach on campus, but sex education shouldn't be taught at school.

And people wonder why the teen pregnancy rate is so high?

And then they raise bible thumping babies who have more bible thumping babies. Meanwhile atheists are wearing condoms and outnumbered.

Shlomart Ben Yisrael · Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:37 pm

Goober McTuber wrote:...legal representation...

Carson · Post by **Carson** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:49 pm

That park is probably hunting ground for homoes and pedos.

Get them zealots outta there...

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:00 pm

The School District is leasing a park? No wonder education is failing in this country. Sounds like a perfect use of funds.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:14 pm

Left Seater wrote:The School District is leasing a park? No wonder education is failing in this country. Sounds like a perfect use of funds.

Typical case of a right winger flying off the handle w/o any information.

Tell us, Left Behinder....Where do the students go outside during recess?

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:39 pm

Diego in Seattle wrote:At recess where do the students go outside during recess?

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:41 pm

Diego in Seattle wrote:
Left Seater wrote:The School District is leasing a park? No wonder education is failing in this country. Sounds like a perfect use of funds.
Typical case of a right winger flying off the handle w/o any information.

Tell us, Left Behinder....Where do the students go outside during recess?

Kick your own ass much? Recess? Thanks for furthering my point.

The lunches, held each Tuesday in Fireman's Park adjacent to Middleton High School,

High School recess?

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:50 pm

Left Seater wrote:
High School recess?

The school Diego was going to at 16 had recesses. They also had to wear head protection when they went outside.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:08 pm

Ok, I used the wrong term. BFD

But the high school I attended had a 10 min. break period in the morning (we also started at 7:25am), which they still have.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 12:31 pm

Diego in Seattle wrote:Let me get this straight....

The thumper parents think it's ok for religious adults to teach on campus, but sex education shouldn't be taught at school.

And people wonder why the teen pregnancy rate is so high?

A sensible person would think it was OK for a parent to have a say in how THEIR child is educated. This means they should have the ability to choose religious subjects, assuming there is enough interest in them or opt out of sex ed, if they think it is in their kid's best interest. The do gooder anti-religious zealots are the ones who think they have the right to dictate what someone else's child is exposed to.

This is a text book case of the anti-religious zealots trying to tell religious folks what to do. Just go away. Rent the place out for a wickan brunch if you want.

BTW, I am not in the slightest bit religious. But, I am not anti-religion like most liberal facists are.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 12:59 pm

Diego in Seattle wrote: But the high school I attended had a 10 min. break period in the morning (we also started at 7:25am), which they still have.

So your HS had a break in the middle of the day? Did they hand out orange slices and cookies before the nap?

The start time isn't special either. We started at 7:30. First period was my athletic period so during football season that meant getting to school by 6:00. Same during the swim season. No big deal though.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 2:26 pm

First class was 7:25, break @ 9:15, lunch @ 11:30, and done 2.

It figures that Left Behinder is against giving any breaks...

smackaholic wrote:
Diego in Seattle wrote:Let me get this straight....

The thumper parents think it's ok for religious adults to teach on campus, but sex education shouldn't be taught at school.

And people wonder why the teen pregnancy rate is so high?
A sensible person would think it was OK for a parent to have a say in how THEIR child is educated. This means they should have the ability to choose religious subjects, assuming there is enough interest in them or opt out of sex ed, if they think it is in their kid's best interest. The do gooder anti-religious zealots are the ones who think they have the right to dictate what someone else's child is exposed to.

This is a text book case of the anti-religious zealots trying to tell religious folks what to do. Just go away. Rent the place out for a wickan brunch if you want.

And that could easily be switched around. The parents who don't want their kids to hear about sky fairies shouldn't have to have their kids stay indoors all day, either. WTF is wrong with waiting until the day is over to start thumping?

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:37 pm

Diego in Seattle wrote:And that could easily be switched around. The parents who don't want their kids to hear about sky fairies shouldn't have to have their kids stay indoors all day, either. WTF is wrong with waiting until the day is over to start thumping?

You missed the part where I said subjects like make believe sky fairies and how not to knock up a skank should be voluntary. You should have the ability to have your kid opt out of the christian lunacy just as a religious type should have the ability to have his kid not learn about Billy and his two daddies. What you should not be able to do is forbid a handful of students who want to get together and talk about jewish zombie carpenters from doing so as they should not be able to forbid your kids from studying whatever.

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:56 pm

Yeah, screw that First Amendment shit... let them thump at school.

Epic civics fail.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 7:54 pm

Dinsdale wrote:Yeah, screw that First Amendment shit... let them thump at school.

Epic civics fail.

The First Amendment protects their right to thump, so long as the thumping is not compulsory, it does not concern others.

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 8:38 pm

Except it implies "freedom FROM religion," as well.

And the government sure the fuck can't be involved in it.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 8:38 pm

smackaholic wrote:
Dinsdale wrote:Yeah, screw that First Amendment shit... let them thump at school.

Epic civics fail.
The First Amendment protects their right to thump, so long as the thumping is not compulsory, it does not concern others.

Since you're a quiz whiz, here's a pop quiz (no pun intended):
What is Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe?

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:39 pm

Dinsdale wrote:Except it implies "freedom FROM religion," as well.

And the government sure the fuck can't be involved in it.

You can imply whatever the fukk you want from the words. The fact is, a person's right to practice a religion trumps someone else's right to have some sort of religion free zone around them 24/7. So long as any religious activities are not compulsory, I don't see the problem. People who may claim that simply being in the general vicinity of said activities need to try not being a fukking pussy.

Public property is just that, public. It is owned by all of us, so we all have the right to make use of it. If you want to partake of a legal activity on it, you should have that right, so long as doing so does not cause government and undo hardship.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 4:46 pm

smackaholic wrote: A sensible person would think it was OK for a parent to have a say in how THEIR child is educated. This means they should have the ability to choose religious subjects, assuming there is enough interest in them or opt out of sex ed, if they think it is in their kid's best interest. The do gooder anti-religious zealots are the ones who think they have the right to dictate what someone else's child is exposed to.

Nobody's kid is "exposed" to anything, it's a completely voluntary gathering......
pretty fucking stupid for the school district to get their panties in a twist about some parents getting kids together to talk about the bible.....
these people seem harmless enough and now the school district has empowered them by making a big deal out of nothing.......

the reason school districts are failing is because they are overloaded with "Administrators"......
they pay these administrators a significant amount of money simply to administrate, whatever that is......

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:28 pm

I agree with every word you said, Felix, other than you playing semantics over a word.

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Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 1:09 pm

The school leases the park during the day, and thus, considers it part of their campus, subject to rules of the school and separation of church and state. Which would prohibit a parent-organized religious activity.

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:06 pm

Holic getting his clock cleaned on this whole "civics" thing.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:28 am

Dinsdale wrote:Holic getting his clock cleaned on this whole "civics" thing.

How so? Nothing wrong with Christians spinning their fairy tales on school grounds, so long as it is not compulsory or is keeping the kids from getting their mandated studies in.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:58 am

smackaholic wrote:
Dinsdale wrote:Holic getting his clock cleaned on this whole "civics" thing.
How so? Nothing wrong with Christians spinning their fairy tales on school grounds, so long as it is not compulsory or is keeping the kids from getting their mandated studies in.

Ever heard of the phrase "captive audience?"

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:44 am

Diego in Seattle wrote:
smackaholic wrote:
Dinsdale wrote:Holic getting his clock cleaned on this whole "civics" thing.
How so? Nothing wrong with Christians spinning their fairy tales on school grounds, so long as it is not compulsory or is keeping the kids from getting their mandated studies in.
Ever heard of the phrase "captive audience?"

Yes I have. I assume there are elective classes in this school. So long as the fairy tales are kept to an elective, non-cumpulsory status, there is no captive audience.

Just read this paragraph again....

"In one year what started out with less than 40 kids has grown into a lunch that serves almost 400 kids or a fourth of Middleton High School," a video posted online about the event says. "What makes this even more amazing is that while we provide the lunches, it’s the students who bring their friends and discuss a different biblical topic each week among themselves. It is entirely voluntary."

It's not even a class. It is just kids/parents getting together on their lunch break. Nothing captive at all.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:16 am

Jesus launches?

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:17 am

I think the issue here is the parents are leading the activity. I have officiated many HS football games back in the day where students led a prayer over the PA prior to the game. This happened in MA, RI, TX, OK and NH. Since it is student led it seems to be ok. Doubt having the local priest lead a prayer would fly.

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:35 am

smackaholic wrote: How so? Nothing wrong with Christians spinning their fairy tales on school grounds, so long as it is not compulsory or is keeping the kids from getting their mandated studies in.

Damn, where is JSC when we need him?

But... yeah. There's absolutely something wrong with religious activities on government property.

The courts have been iffy on this over the years. They shouldn't be -- it's so obvious that it should be strictly forbidden, and if you disagree, then you should have scratched out that check to the IRS out of your account, instead of me doing it at my expense.

Kind of that whole "wall of separation" thing... which is my RIGHT, asshole. Thump all you like... I couldn't care less. But the second you want to do it on my dime (public facilities), you can fuck right the fuck off. Your "rights" end at my wallet, and my property line (sup not Bernie).

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:37 am

But seriously, they need a radical imam to do after school lectures. Maybe a priest from the Church of Satan, as well.

Seeing the problem yet?

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:24 am

Rack Dins.

Religion IS the problem.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:46 pm

Screw_Michigan wrote:Rack Dins.

Religion IS the problem.

No, people telling other people what to do is the problem. Public space is for use by the public. This doesn't mean that every member of the public has to agree with what is going on. And the moment whatever the activity is becomes compulsory, then a finer filter should be applied. If sins wants to hold a clinic on how to save money and go ugly early, and there is an audience for it, then he should be allowed to. The separation of church and state does not mean all religious activities are banned from public spaces. It just means that government can't require you to attend them.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:01 pm

I guess I didn't realize it was ground that was leased by the school district which as Dins pointed out implies that government (in this case the tax payer funded public school district) shouldn't be allowing these type rituals on public land....

if they want to set up shop someplace else, so be it.....best bet would be to find some thumper close by that would host this brown bag special.....
that way kids have the freedom to learn all about Noah and his giant floating zoo....

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:08 pm

Felix wrote:I guess I didn't realize it was ground that was leased by the school district which as Dins pointed out implies that government (in this case the tax payer funded public school district) shouldn't be allowing these type rituals on public land....

suckaholic has had this explained to him several times but it just seems to go right over his misshapen head. I'm sure he'd have no problem with a similar group of Muslims handing out halal food and teaching kids the "Religion of Peace" on school grounds.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:21 pm

No, goobs, I wouldn't. I might even show up if they made a decent falafel.

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Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:39 pm

I'm not talking about you, you fucking moron. A fat fuck like you will always show up for free fried food. I'm talking about impressionable kids being enticed to learn about Islam on your dime. You're really OK with that?

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:19 pm

Can I give you a free book?

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:50 pm

Goober McTuber wrote:I'm not talking about you, you fucking moron. A fat fuck like you will always show up for free fried food. I'm talking about impressionable kids being enticed to learn about Islam on your dime. You're really OK with that?

If my kids wanted to listen to a religious speaker, I would be OK with it, as I believe I have had some influence over them and they have enough sense to spot a fukking moron when they see one. Keeping your kid locked in a closet is a bad way to ensure they don't end up a human bomb for ISIS. BTW, if it could be shown that during one of these meetings that illegal activity such as planning the killing of infidels was going on, there would be legitimate grounds to run them. I don't believe simply talking about imaginary friends, be they Christian/muzzy/jew/hindu/atheist/hare Krishna/whatthefukkever, should be banned.