Anti-Religion Group Says Public School Mentoring Program By Christians Unconstitutional

Officials from the Kingsport, Tennessee City Schools are reviewing the charge by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) that their mentoring program in partnership with a local church is "unconstitutional."

The FFRF, which describes its members as "free-thinkers (atheists and agnostics)", alleges in a letter to the school district that its mentoring program with Christ Fellowship Church "impermissibly advances religion" and that the district "cannot allow its schools to be used as recruiting grounds for churches." As evidence that this is happening, FFRF cites the church's Facebook page where it tries to recruit volunteers for the mentoring program and where current mentors describe their work as a type of "missionary work" and "an opportunity to share Jesus's love."