Working with Your School's Administration
Working with your school's administration can be something really great or it can be a nightmare. Part of this depends on the attitude of the administration. Part of it depends on you.
The administration can make things difficult for several reasons:
-
The administration doesn't understand the law.
School administrators can't always keep up with every little law that affects their school. Sometimes a principal doesn't understand student's rights. You can help them. Download some letters from our legal resources/sample letters page.
-
The administration doesn't want possible legal action by other groups such as the ACLU.
Once again, letting them know that student's religious rights are too important to be "bullied" into non-existence by legal threats can help. Gently hint that there may be outside forces that would take legal action at the idea that the constitutional rights of Christian students were being denied.
-
The administration has had a bad experience in the past.
Assure them you intend to follow the law in not being disruptive and that your group will be a positive force in your school.
-
The administration is concerned that once the door is open, anything goes.
Some principals may say, "If we allow your group, we will have to allow Satanists, gay-straight alliance, and other objectionable groups . . ." but this isn't supported by the equal access act or the law. If these other groups do have the legal right to meet, it is not affected by a Christian group, but by the fact that ANY club meets.
-
The administration is anti-Christian.
This situation would be extremely rare. Do not assume that this is the case. However, if this is the situation in your school, legal action may have to take place. Please contact us if you need legal help.
Most problems with administration can be and should be worked through.
Remember the words of Solomon, "Be a jerk to people and they act like one too, but treating people with respect keeps them from being unreasonable" (paraphrase).
Your group should work to be the kind of group that the administration wants on their campus. Look into the creative ideas page of this site for ways you can be a witness to the administration.
Remember, information and humility our always the best first course of action. However, we do not believe that the administration should be allowed to violate the law and the rights of students. Decades of erosion concerning the rights of Christians has led to the society in which we now live. We must stand for the rights of students now and in the future to hear the message of the Bible.