Does this school trip cross line between church and state? Some Sacramento parents say yes
Parents at a Sacramento school have complained to their district about a field trip they say crosses the line between church and state.
Sixth-graders at Crocker Riverside Elementary are scheduled March 4-7 to visit Alliance Redwoods Outdoor Education, a private, Christian-owned campground in Sonoma County that rents its facilities to groups such as schools, universities and technology companies for camps and conferences.
Nature and science camp is a familiar rite of passage for many sixth-graders in the Sacramento region. For decades, parents have sent their preteens off to Sly Park in El Dorado County, or the Marin Headlands overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
For the past several years, Alliance Redwoods has also hosted such overnight camps for local school districts including Sacramento City Unified and Elk Grove Unified.
But some parents say there’s a key difference with Alliance Redwoods: They contend its religious affiliation and biblical signage on trail paths cross the boundary between church and state.
Karin Winters, whose older son attended the camp two years ago, said her concerns with the camp are on principle. Her 11-year-old son is set to attend this year.
“I am essentially being forced to support a religious organization,” Winters said. “While it does not teach Christian teachings, their mission is a Christian one and I really have no choice in the matter.”
According to parents, the trip costs each student more than $300.
Alliance Redwoods Executive Director Jim Blake told The Sacramento Bee in a statement: “We respect the non-religious standing of public schools and embrace when they bring their students to the Alliance Redwoods Outdoor Education Program. It would be inappropriate and against our policies to propagate our Christian worldview through the public school system.”
Alliiance Redwoods Camp Grounds is a 120-acre site in the redwoods 20 minutes inland from Sonoma Coast State Park. Purchased by a group of pastors in 1946, and run by the Christian and Missionary Alliance, the Colorado-based global organization says it has more than 500,000 members in 2,000 churches, and runs mission trips, international relief efforts and nearly 20 camps in the U.S.
The campground is home to three sites: the campgrounds, Alliance Redwoods Outdoor Education, and the popular zip-lining Sonoma Canopy Tours.
According to its website, the campground has routinely hosted families and conferences for CONTINUE READING:Sacramento parents say school trip crosses church-state line | San Luis Obispo Tribune