The issue of religious influence and separation of church and state in the Greece School district has come under criticism this year when a “Youth Services Guide” was handed out to students earlier this year. The criticisms centered on the fact that the “guide” only had traditional, conservative Christian churches listed – and non-traditional Christian ones like Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons were omitted, as well as non-Christian faith groups or broad based secular youth services. The “Faith Community Committee” was formed after conservative Christian pastors approached the school board with complaints about the school system allowing the observation of the “Day of Silence” by GLBT youth and the distribution of a survey that had some questions about student sexual practices. The “Faith Community Committee” was actually a formal School Board committee which was made up of the superintendent of schools, Steve Achramovitch, the previous school board president, Julia Van Orman and other school board members, as well as the conservative Christian pastors. This committee created and sent out the “guide”. The “guide” was designed to be used as a counseling resource by youth at risk and their families, although most of the churches listed preach against intolerance to homosexuality and look at it as a lifestyle choice and could be very harmful for a GLBT youth to use one of these churches for counseling. It was sent home with the youngest child in each family in the Greece School District. It was further discovered that another mission of the “Faith Community Committee” was to “review” curriculum and in the Board minutes it is noted that they had already reviewed the curriculum of the Health class…(where they teach about sexuality and sex education. Although, the Greece School District says that neither they nor the “Committee” were trying to promote religion, it is obvious that that is a inconsistent with their actions.

Since this information has come to light, the president of the Greece school board, Julia Van Orman was voted out of the School board presidency and the Community Faith Committee has been renamed the “ Asset Committee”, based on the 40 assets developed by the Search Institute. The “40 Developmental Asset “ program is not without controversy. Recently, the Freedom From Religion Foundation settled a federal lawsuit against the Cherry Creek School district in Colorado, who over a policy that urged children to spend an hour a week at a religious institution. The lawsuit challenged the “40 developmental Assets” program and specifically the 19th asset, which reads, “# 19 Religious Community | Young person spends one hour or more per week in activities in a religious institution”. Also, there will be some additions to the committee that are interested in the civil rights of the students and the separation of church and state.

Rochester Indy Media will continue to continue to follow the Religious Rights influence in both Greece Town government and the school district.