WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: ‘Religious material’ offered to students outside Madison

A texter earlier today said Madison Middle School students had been offered Bibles by people standing outside the school. Later, Madison principal Robert Gary sent this email to families:

This morning before school in the front of Madison, five adults were handing out religious material to students and adults entering the building. Unfortunately we were not told this would be happening in front of our school and because the adults remained on the public sidewalk and not on school grounds, they were within their rights to be there.

Though Madison administration spoke with these individuals and requested they leave the area, they continued to offer our students information. Several Madison staff members were present and encouraging our students to not respond and to continue safely inside the building and to class.

Student safety will always be our number one priority. Many of our teachers spoke with their classes today about safety and students’ rights and the grown-ups in place at school available to listen and help keep them safe.

We have no further information so far about the material that was being offered or the people who were doing it. As noted, this was happening on public property outside the school, but if you’re interested, here are the state policies/rules about religious expression in school.

heartless October 21, 2021 (3:32 pm)

Big whoop.

Kids get exposed to almost as much sex and violence on TV as they’d get from a bible.

But if the school is somehow worried, why not just pivot to a lesson plan about freedom of speech and/or the hundreds of different religions/philosophies of the world. Seems like an easy response.

Rhonda October 21, 2021 (5:50 pm)

For once, I absolutely agree with you 100%.
Wseattleite October 21, 2021 (7:49 pm)

I also find myself completely in agreement with you. Teach students to critically analyze that which around us. Should apply to most things in life
Madison Parent October 21, 2021 (11:33 pm)

“Many of our teachers spoke with their classes today about safety and students’ rights”
- heartless October 22, 2021 (8:35 am)
  
  Yes, I read that, of course, and was pleased that it was addressed immediately. But it often takes a lot of time and thought to be able to put together a comprehensive lesson plan (even a short one!) and so I wouldn’t expect the teachers to be able to thoroughly explore the topic so quickly.

Pessoa October 21, 2021 (3:36 pm)

When did this country become the Land of the Snowflake? Mon Dieu – bibles were being handed out! Roll out the guillotines!

Scubafrog October 22, 2021 (2:59 pm)

Stay away from other peoples’ children – end of. And don’t give them things. If that’s what makes a “snowflake”, let’s all be snowflakes.

KWestSeattle October 21, 2021 (4:08 pm)

Why are *safely, safety, and safe* all mentioned in the principal’s email as though offering religious material is a threat to safety?

Madison parent x2 October 21, 2021 (8:13 pm)

Because it’s 100% creepy as hell? Keep those predatory freaks away from my kids.
- heartless October 22, 2021 (9:09 am)
  
  Sure it’s creepy. But is it more creepy than soda advertisements, candy flavored nicotine or the entire Nestle corporation? Is it more or less creepy than all the other ways children are manipulated and influenced every day in this country? I guess I’m trying to point out that this shouldn’t be seen as singular event, and so shouldn’t be seen through a lens of alarm or worry about safety, but rather as a reminder that we are all consumers, and we are all being sold and sold to, and the best reaction we can have is to explain this to people and give them the tools and resources to make the best decisions for themselves.
JennyHill October 22, 2021 (6:43 am)

Because cults are dangerous.
- 98126res October 25, 2021 (3:03 pm)
  
  Many religions are not cults. They are an oasis today for serious thought about how to achieve human flourishing and happiness (yes, happiness). Look around many people are very unhappy. In particular, ancient religions focus on things no longer heard or seen or discussed in school to children as it had been for centuries. This is new and quite scary. Our children should have the opportunity, as all did in the past, to learn and grow in wisdom and virtues (e.g. humility), while embracing elements of philosophy, reason, and science. These topics are being addressed in videos and online, because they are not in public schools.
  - Julianne Farmer November 6, 2021 (8:27 pm)
    
    Yes, I grew up on Aesop’s Fables.
Brian October 22, 2021 (8:45 am)

Ya know I was going to agree with you but then I did some light googling and it turns out organized religion has been pretty bad for humanity on the whole. Glad I took a few seconds to read up!
S.A. October 22, 2021 (8:53 am)

1) We’re still in a pandemic. Some middle school students are young enough to be unvaccinated still. 2) Queer, trans, non-binary, Jewish, Muslim, athiest/agnostic, etc. students just might feel not so good about having Christians trying to press “religious material” on them. 3) In general, strangers trying to chat up my pre-teen and hand them stuff is something that, were I a parent, I would have some feelings about.

Madison Mom October 21, 2021 (4:17 pm)

Grateful to the Principal for letting us know. Thanks for reporting on this. I am pretty disturbed as a parent that adults are trying to talk to unattended children outside school. This is so, so inappropriate and creepy. If more is learned about where these individuals are affiliated, complaints should be filed about the invasive, predatory nature of approaching children just trying to get to school.

jissy October 21, 2021 (8:03 pm)

Hmmmm, adults trying to talk to unattended children outside school, yet they can do it INside school? If you’ve consented to your kids attending Public school, this is on the low end of “oh my stars and garters my kid is going to be proselytized to…… !” Where does one draw the line, Madison Mom? In Washington, minors of any age do not need their parent’s consent to receive all healthcare services, including vaccinations. This is called a “mature minor doctrine” and essentially means that if you talk to your doctor/healthcare provider and they decide you are “mature enough” to make your own health care decisions, you can. In determining whether the patient is a mature minor, providers will evaluate the minor’s “age, intelligence, maturity, training, experience, economic independence or lack thereof, general conduct as an adult and freedom from the control of parents.” Not mature enough to say no thank you to a Bible or just walk by?
- Madison Dad October 21, 2021 (8:25 pm)
  
  If you can’t tell the difference between teachers inside a school and random nut-jobs outside a school I don’t know what to tell you. Keep that stuff in your churches where it belongs.
- Brian October 22, 2021 (8:47 am)
  
  Hey this is unhinged and bears little resemblance to what we all expect and experience in real life. Get help.

Benji F. October 21, 2021 (4:17 pm)

Framing a peaceful excercise of civil rights as a “safety issue for children” is just plain fear-mongering. I’d like to think our educators are better than that but sadly it doesn’t appear to be true.

KWest Seattle October 21, 2021 (5:19 pm)

Agreed. Coddling of the American Mind is a great read for educators, parents, and all Americans and addresses this subject.
R2 October 21, 2021 (5:41 pm)

There’s way more fear-mongering in the bible.
- Jethro Marx October 21, 2021 (10:01 pm)
  
  You have got me all curious now- which parts of the Bible encourage any kind of mongering, much less the fear type? I thought it much more of the ‘fear not, though you may have cause’ mentality.
  - Mr. Watters October 22, 2021 (7:21 am)
    
    Christianity/the bible is 100% entirely based on fear-mongering: follow us or spend an eternity in hell.
    - CAM October 22, 2021 (11:32 am)
      
      So for clarity, as a long term Catholic school attendee and therefore frequent reader of the Bible during my childhood and adolescence, the new testament (or the exclusively Christianity part) has very little fear mongering going on. The old testament is in fact a lot of fire and brimstone. The fact is though you would not know how little of that is actually present in the new testament by attending most christian churches or by talking to most christians.
Sigh October 21, 2021 (5:44 pm)

People living in tents on the sidewalk is usually framed as a “safety issue for children” by the community so I don’t know why anyone would find this surprising coming from the teachers. At least the homeless aren’t there for the sole purpose of talking to and trying to influence the kids.
Pessoa October 21, 2021 (5:46 pm)

Couldn’t agree more.

R2 October 21, 2021 (4:22 pm)

I’m sure my 8th grader would have some choice words for anyone who tried to hand him religious material.

StopCuttingDownTrees October 21, 2021 (5:11 pm)

Which is exactly why I’m glad these individuals are handing out religious materials.
D2 October 21, 2021 (5:29 pm)

Not everything has to be an argument or judgement, just a simple” no thank you” is a kinder way to respond to people, even those you don’t agree with. Just because you are not religious doesn’t make it okay to be mean. They were giving them away, not selling them or forcing them on anyone.
- Steven October 21, 2021 (6:09 pm)
  
  If those people were handing out any other book which was purported to be true, and which condoned slavery, genocide, infanticide, murdering gay people, etc., people would be rightly upset about it. But for some reason when it’s christian people handing out bibles, we’re all supposed to accept it without complaint? The Bible isn’t special and our response shouldn’t be any different.
  - StopCuttingDownTrees October 21, 2021 (8:36 pm)
    
    That’s why we have laws to protect religious practitioners from people who wish to have “a different response” to their Constitutionally-protected activities.
Buddy October 21, 2021 (6:25 pm)

Hey R2: I guess you missed the parenting class on respect! Hopefully the school your children is attending teach being respectful towards others.
- Ms. Sparkles October 22, 2021 (9:21 am)
  
  Hey Buddy: I guess you missed the adulting class on no one likes solicitors (no matter what they’re selling) especially when you’re just trying to get through your day! Hopefully your peers teach that solicitors abandon their expectation of a friendly reception when they insert themselves into strangers lives.

AS October 21, 2021 (4:29 pm)

I saw 2 older gentlemen, well-dressed, carrying cardboard boxes toward Madison this morning around 7:45am. I remember thinking that they reminded me of the people that would bring and try to hand out mini Bibles on my university campus and I wondered if that’s what was going on. Sounds like it.

Jim October 21, 2021 (6:07 pm)

That’s what I I figured as well and I remember them doing the same thing with the mini Bibles. Not the end of the world people need to just move on

Auntie October 21, 2021 (5:02 pm)

I’m sure those leafletters would be none too pleased to have people out in front of their church handing out information on atheism or being agnostic. It was just inappropriate and they know it, but zealots will be zealots.

Niko October 21, 2021 (6:06 pm)

Calm yourself down. This happened near schools when I was a kid and there was nothing malicious about it They were just handing out mini Bibles. And perhaps they would be accepting of that and open a calm dialogue.
S.A. October 21, 2021 (9:15 pm)

Time to find some Satanic Temple folks to hand out literature from the same spot? At least they focus on kids’ rights to be free from abuse and coercion in school and people’s rights to bodily autonomy including reproductive freedom.
- Ms. Sparkles October 22, 2021 (9:22 am)
  
  I was thinking the EXACT same thing S.A.

TJ October 21, 2021 (5:12 pm)

This required a formal email? Not sure of the significance of this being lots of things are pushed in these schools now. This is a perfect time to teach your kids to just say “no thanks not interested”. Weird times

KH October 29, 2021 (12:13 am)

Any adult handing out Anything to middle schoolers on their campus is a big no no. And I’m all for the Bible. This was not appropriate in any way. The school handled it very well.

eric October 21, 2021 (5:16 pm)

I can think of worse things to hand out. But adults should not be approaching kids they should ask their parents first if its ok.

Madison Mom October 21, 2021 (5:42 pm)

As a Madison parent, I did find that this is a safety issue. Adults trying to talk to unattended children and handing out any kind of material is creepy and predatory. I was glad that the Principal emailed parents and that the blog is reporting on this. If these individuals are affiliated with a group or church, complaints should be filed about the inappropriate nature of approaching children just trying to get to school.

heartless October 22, 2021 (10:13 am)

“Adults trying to talk to unattended children and handing out any kind of material is creepy and predatory.”

Isn’t it awfully close to Halloween to be saying something like that with a straight face? In a week or so lots of middle schoolers will be offered not just material–but edible material!–en masse. Are you really not okay with that? Some adults might even try to (gasp!) talk to these costumed middle schoolers. Are you not okay with that?

I’m sorry that you think adults talking to children is a safety issue, and I find it deeply odd that you think handing out any kind of material is creepy and predatory. What if they were handing out coupons to a store in the Junction? Or flyers advertising a Harvest Festival?

I’m not happy about these religious folks trying to increase their ranks–don’t get me wrong. But at the moment I find your blanket statements about how much children need to be shielded from the world even more off-putting.
- KJ October 29, 2021 (12:24 am)
  
  Your story has no relevance. This story demonstrates unsolicited and unwelcome behavior by adults who were not invited or welcome to engage with children at their school. Whether they were passing out bibles, political ads, Halloween candy, doesn’t matter.

Zipda October 21, 2021 (6:00 pm)

I suspect the response by some here may be different if the adults were instead giving out literature about Islam or even Atheism to the children.Zealots of all types seem intrusive to me and especially with middle or primary school children.

heartless October 21, 2021 (7:25 pm)

Oh, absolutely. Can you imagine the anger if people were passing out mini-Necronomicons? Hah. Many of the comments would indeed be quite different. Many, but not all–and that alone should give some hope.
- Ly October 22, 2021 (12:05 pm)
  
  Lol yup. Let me stand on the corner dressed in my full Islamic garb, handing out mini Qurans to the kids. Would comments here be a bit different then?i don’t really care for these people handing out mini bibles or pamphlets to minors. Regardless of content, it is NOT appropriate for unknown adults to be approaching my child and trying to talk to them pfftt so they need to get lost. We are not a Christian family but don’t worry, i’ve already told my child to just recycle the mini-bibles and had broad conversations about world religions.
Belvidear October 21, 2021 (8:09 pm)

This!

Jim October 21, 2021 (6:05 pm)

Oh no what a nightmare. They used to do this when I was in junior high school with miniature Bibles. As my grandmother would say people need to learn to just let it roll off their back. Nothing malicious about it

Sam October 21, 2021 (6:56 pm)

Heaven forbid

WS Steve October 21, 2021 (6:56 pm)

When I was in high school we’d take everything they’d give us then make fun of it over lunch. This is nothing to get worried about unless there’s more to the story.

CAM October 21, 2021 (7:01 pm)

Umm, I’m pretty sure teachers and schools can’t have health class, biology, English lit, history, etc. without some parents or group somewhere claiming that the school is trying to indoctrinate children and that some things should only be taught at home. And you’re all offended that the school said, hey, don’t try to actually indoctrinate these kids with something their parents might have opinions about, that is not within the purview of the department of education, on our watch? Seems to me you’re trying to find a reason to be offended.

Derrick October 21, 2021 (7:06 pm)

It is not appropriate for random adults to approach children and attempt to talk to them / persuade them / influence them. It is irrelevant if you agree with their message or not.

Madison Parent October 21, 2021 (7:18 pm)

I agree that this is not that big of a deal, however, I am grateful to Dr. Gary for letting us know that adults not associated with the school were approaching my 12 year old on her way to class. Schools get enough criticism for not communicating enough and now that the school sends home an email saying that adults were approaching 11-13 year old kids and that they made sure they were safe, people consider that an overreaction? I suppose it is always easy to be the armchair administrator and not have to face any repercussions for decisions you don’t have to make. Sure, these people may have been perfectly harmless, but I would always prefer overcommunication from my daughter’s school than not enough.

NWFVK October 21, 2021 (8:13 pm)

As a fellow Madison parent, I wholeheartedly agree

Also John October 21, 2021 (7:27 pm)

It appears many are being forgiving because it was ‘their’ book of religion. How would they feel if the Satanic Bible was being handed out to their children. I hope they’d feel just fine with that too.

Belvidear October 21, 2021 (8:19 pm)

Exactly.
K October 22, 2021 (9:05 am)

As a atheist, I honestly don’t care. It’s a moment for teaching and a moment for kids to learn how to handle conflict (without their parents doing it for them, gasp!) Just wish they were handing out something useful!

ITotallyAgreeWithYou October 21, 2021 (7:39 pm)

Marked “safe” from Christianity today! What an overreaction. New Testaments were handed out in front of schools 30 years ago, nobody was harmed. Accept or decline, nothing more needed.

Nukegrrrl October 21, 2021 (11:05 pm)

As an atheist from a partially Jewish family I did find harm as a middle & high school student 30 yrs ago when judgemental strangers created a gauntlet I had to sprint through on my way to what should have been a public education entirely free from religious influence. Its also super creepy that these folks were asked to leave by folks running the school then did not leave.
- Adam October 22, 2021 (8:15 am)
  
  Hey, as long as you don’t misrepresent just to prove a point. “Ran the gauntlet”. What a joke. At least now we can all just skip past your crazy comments. Also, I’m agnostic. I couldn’t care less, and wouldn’t even call myself an atheist. I think it’s hilarious that everyone on the two alarmist sides think they’re any different than each other. Religion doesn’t inherently harm anyone, and it doesn’t inherently hurt anyone. It’s a tool, or it’s a weapon, or it’s neither. It’s how you use it. Same goes for school and it feels like reading this is making me think nobody is using neither school nor religion correctly.
  - CAM October 22, 2021 (11:44 am)

Pessoa October 21, 2021 (7:49 pm)

Ever seen kids tormenting street preachers at Westlake? Come on, people, children aren’t always the sweet benign angels we think they are. I certainly wasn’t.

JayJay October 21, 2021 (8:00 pm)

The key here is adult strangers approaching underage children to attempt to indoctrinate them about anything. Whatever it is for, it is inappropriate for unknown adults to approach unchaperoned children to try and exert influence over them. I certainly don’t want strangers talking to my children about the strangers’ views religious or otherwise

Colonel Mustard's Wrench October 21, 2021 (8:02 pm)

Great
As if kids haven’t been through enough over the past year and a half with the pandemic.
Now, as they are trying to enter school, they get to run the gauntlet through a bunch of strangers that are trying to push religion on them.
What do you think this is – a theocracy ?
Leave the kids alone.

Wendell October 21, 2021 (8:46 pm)

The correct nomenclature is “gantlet”. A gauntlet is what Crusaders threw down every once and a while.
momosmom October 22, 2021 (7:33 am)

You’d be surprised how strong kids are if you “parents” would just give them the chance… doing every little thing and making choices for them just make them dependent not independent. I’m sure the majority would had said “no thank you” or who knows maybe could had enjoyed learning there are “other ways” that people think and believe and that is perfectly fine.

kersti muul October 21, 2021 (8:39 pm)

At west Seattle high school as well

Cait October 21, 2021 (9:02 pm)

They’ve been doing this since I was in middle school there in the late 90’s. Weird they don’t try it at elementary or high schools IMO. Specifically targeting kids of that age always made it seem creepy to me and I remember telling them as much at that age. Let your kids think critically and respond how they see fit.

Tar N Feather October 21, 2021 (9:26 pm)

Trying to determine what is safe or unsafe for kids to view or be exposed to nowadays is complete hypocrisy.

Tar N Feather October 21, 2021 (9:27 pm)

Trying to determine what is safe or unsafe for kids to view or be exposed to nowadays is complete hypocrisy.

RSO October 21, 2021 (10:15 pm)

Can anyone confirm that it was actually bibles that were being handed out? The principal’s email only refers to “religious materials” and “information”. The tone of the his email and his reference to student safety and helping students feel safe reminded me of a situation a few years ago where the students at Hamilton Middle School in Wallingford and Jane Addams Middle School in north Seattle were given “religious information” when walking into school that was very homophobic, anti-trans, and antisemitic, etc, and did in fact make some students feel unsafe and targeted.

Mellow Kitty October 21, 2021 (10:51 pm)

Having just watched a documentary about Jim Jones and The People’s Church, this is super creepy.

trickycoolj October 21, 2021 (11:17 pm)

There’s some really aggressive churches here in West Seattle. I’ve gotten really weird hand written unsolicited letters in the mail from people I’ve never heard of or talked to. The last one reminded me of the sketchy early 2000s anthrax letters. What I can only guess is they’re digging up property owner records and targeting neighborhoods like high point with a high proportion of non-Christians which is super gross.

waikikigirl October 22, 2021 (7:22 am)

I received the same letter in the mail as Trickycoolj probably did, stated because of the pandemic they could not go door to door as they usually had and to log onto their website which was listed in the letter. I know of only 2 Religious Organizations that go door to door…Found it totally harmless but my recycling-bin thought otherwise
Ms. Sparkles October 22, 2021 (9:27 am)

Yes! I’d gotten a letter a few years ago (or maybe in the last year, pandemic has messed up my sense of time) and had forgotten about it, but your comment reminded me – it was super evangelical and weird and I found it creepy.

Madison Parent October 21, 2021 (11:21 pm)

My student, walking alone this morning, was approached by an unfamiliar man in a trench coat who offered her a “gift”.
It might have been benign, but that was spectacularly poor judgement.

Oh my! October 22, 2021 (12:14 am)

Ya’ll do realize that there is/was a church at Madison on Sundays?? I’m not sure if they are currently there but definitely were pre-pandemic. What is the problem now? People handing out bibles….oh my! Better watch out for lions and tigers and bears!! There are much worse things to be handed out!

WSB October 22, 2021 (12:44 am)

No, they are no longer there, and haven’t been for a long time. First of course there was the suspension of in-person services for the pandemic; that church (All Souls) has resumed but at a new location (Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
Brian October 22, 2021 (8:51 am)

It’s always telling when someone tries to dismiss an actual transgression by bringing up something that could never happen. It’s disingenuous and just make you look like a huge idiot.

David October 22, 2021 (5:59 am)

Did the religious zealots have masks on?

Caroline October 22, 2021 (7:50 pm)

No, they weren’t wearing masks and refused to put them on after being asked to do so.So, how much was about loving and taking care of your neighbors and how much was it about men passing out anti-Semitic, homophobic tracts at a place where they knew it was primarily unaccompanied children?
- Rhonda October 23, 2021 (4:29 pm)
  
  As a Jewish woman married to a Christian man, I can tell you that Christianity is closely aligned with Judaism and Christian denominations are enthusiastic supporters of Jews, Israel, and Judaism.

anonyme October 22, 2021 (6:58 am)

Proselytizing in front of a school is a bit different than doing it on a street corner, like the Alaska Junction, where these individuals would be subject to adult ‘scrutiny’. These people are very aware of how vulnerable middle-schoolers are to influence, which is why they target this demographic. I suspect they wouldn’t dare try this at a high school, and definitely not a college. And I agree with others about how different the responses would be if the reading material being handed out was something other than Christian propaganda. It’s not so much a matter of exposure, it’s a matter of how and where; that is creepy.

ITotallyAgreeWithYou October 22, 2021 (2:17 pm)

They would hand these out in front of my high school…

helpermonkey October 22, 2021 (8:19 am)

I was approached by these jerks in White Center one day. It’s so rude and self-centered to assume you’re the Only Religion Out There. I told the extremely rude lady that, and she started screaming at me about Jesus. Screaming. About. Jesus. Keep your crazy in your church where it belongs.

Ly October 22, 2021 (12:08 pm)

Yes exactly. If we want to know about your church, we’d come to you. I don’t need this ish shoved in my face.

R2 October 22, 2021 (8:34 am)

First, the person did in fact look creepy, in a Trench coat Mafia/Columbine Massacre kind of way.Second, they were presenting the books as a “gift,” rather than saying they were bibles. Why the need for such trickery? (I have some theories.)Third, the books did not even look like bibles. They were covered in bright colors, and looked like some kind of treat. Again, why such trickery?Fourth, my teenager has been allowed to develop his own opinions with regards to religion. Fifth, he simply told them that snakes can’t talk and that gay lives matter, which is neither false nor disrespectful. Sixth, how would those of you who don’t see what the big deal is feel if it was someone passing out literature for The Church of Satan?If you set your own feelings and religious beliefs aside for a moment you’d find what happened quite creepy-Strangers offering kids “gifts” that aren’t what they appear. Ask them straight up if they’d like a bible, and see what happens.

Lincoln Park Mom October 22, 2021 (9:23 am)

Regardless of what is being handed out, this is not appropriate for so many reasons. Mostly because it can start harmless and then how to we manage who is out there talking to our children? What if the neighborhood pedi decides it’s an opportunity to disguise themselves as a representative of a church to get close to our children? It’s a slippery slope and I believe it can escalate into something very harmful. And I’m a Christian.

Mrs. A October 22, 2021 (9:58 am)

Agree with Derrick – HIGHLY inappropriate for random adults to approach unaccompanied children and attempt to talk to them / persuade them / influence them about ANYTHING. I don’t care what it was about, a stranger should not be approaching my middle school kid at a safe place – school – to chat them up. And, even weirder that they could not understand what they were doing was creepy and refused to leave.They could have taken this to another “public” place, like outside a grocery store or the farmer’s market. Instead, they specifically targeted a school with children. Gross.

Michael Waldo October 22, 2021 (10:33 am)

Matthew 6.8 – “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.

Sasquatch October 22, 2021 (3:35 pm)

I did see a few students who were quiet and withdrawn in first period. I wonder if they are Christian and felt badly because everybody was making fun of their religion? I think it’s safe to say that the only people who were hurt by this are Christians

West Seattle parent October 22, 2021 (6:37 pm)

Is there any additional information on what they were handing out, and if it was tied / branded to a specific church. I hate the idea of strangers handing out bibles to children, but that’s a little better than if they’re handing out some weird pamphlet with who knows what message.

blfy October 22, 2021 (8:46 pm)

Not even kids that age have eyes good enough to read the size type & font that those little Bibles are printed with.

Rara October 22, 2021 (10:45 pm)

This was going on when my kids were at Madison. They weren’t freaked out at all. I didn’t think much of it. I actually gave my friends religious stuff in High School. We had lots of discussions about different religions. I learned quite a few things.

Pessoa October 23, 2021 (8:46 am)

Indeed. There is a disturbing fragility these days, an inability to juggle cognitive dissononce, to entertain the idea that there may be different opinions out there that one’s own. A dull, intellectual wasteland.