S. Carolina School District Drops Ties With Faith Charities

The Florence, S.C., public school system will no longer endorse religious charities after receiving a warning letter from a secular advocacy organization, reports the Charlotte Observer. Florence School District One agreed to stop supporting Operation Christmas Child, an affiliate of Christian aid charity Samaritan’s Purse with which the district has worked since 2006, or any other faith groups.

The tie to Operation Christmas Child prompted a local parent to contact the American Humanist Association’s Appignani Legal Center, which said the relationship violated the constitutional prohibition on government respecting an establishment of religion. “Public schools can encourage charitable giving but must remain neutral on religion,” said Roy Speckhardt, the association’s executive director. The Florence district will team up instead with area Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts organizations.