Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Schools’ Plan Would Let Bible Study Groups Meet in Classrooms : Education: Hart Union district leaders fashion the draft amid testimony from students, parents and others.

Bible study groups can meet in William S. Hart Union High School District classrooms at lunchtime under a new access policy drafted Wednesday night.

As crafted during a four-hour meeting that included testimony from students, parents, religious leaders and the district’s attorney, the proposal expands the forum for non-curriculum-related groups by allowing meetings Monday through Friday, up to an hour before morning classes, during lunchtime and after school until the main office closes.

The draft includes the implicit understanding that Bible study groups are considered the same as other clubs unrelated to school curriculum, according to Wendy Wiles, attorney for the school district.

Bible study members last month accused school officials of discriminating against them by blocking lunchtime access to classrooms at Canyon, Hart and Saugus high schools. Amnesty International, Future Business Leaders of America, Students Against Drunk Driving, stamp and coin clubs and environmental groups were allowed to meet using school facilities, however.

“If you have allowed even one non-curriculum-related club, then in my opinion you have already created a limited open forum (and must allow all),” said Alan Land, a teacher of constitutional law at The Master’s College, a religious college in Santa Clarita’s Placerita Canyon.

District officials admit there was uneven enforcement of the prior policy that was to permit non-curriculum clubs on campus but only those related to school subjects in the classroom.

Supporters of the Bible study activities stressed the positive aspects of the clubs, saying they allowed students to support one another.

“In a world of dark, I think the Bible study is so important,” said Rebecca Adrian, a 17-year-old junior at Saugus High School.

Gary Sumner, a youth pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Newhall, said he did not believe churches should be on school campuses but that lunch was the only time all students have free time and they should be allowed to participate in Bible study.

“In the 21 years that I have worked with students, I have never seen a more difficult time to grow up in,” Sumner said.

Nearly 250 people filled the Placerita Junior High School multipurpose room Wednesday night to hear the access issue, although fewer than 50 remained by the time the new draft was completed.

Board members meticulously combed through the access draft, hammering out a document they said they hoped would be consistent for student clubs without kicking open the classroom door for extremist views.

“Once the box is open, hold on. It could be a rough ride,” said trustee John Hassel.

The policy attempts to control participation in the groups by non-students, limiting visits by each guest speaker to three per semester.

“This has been tormenting me, because all the good things in life have a bad side if the sword is turned,” said trustee Dennis King.

King said he was afraid that guest speakers such as 1960s LSD advocate Timothy Leary and militant activist Angela Davis would be able to address student groups if the district is not careful.

Trustee William Dinsenbacher disagreed, saying exposure to different viewpoints was part of the learning process.

The groups are responsible for securing a volunteer school employee to supervise the meeting without actively participating in it.

Administrators expressed concern about indirect discrimination if a group was unable to secure an adviser.

The Board of Trustees is scheduled to review the draft access policy for final approval at its July 14 meeting.