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American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, News Release
October 6, 2006

ACLU Asks Loudoun County High School to Protect Students’ Religious Rights
Abstinence program conducted by “Christian Comedian” and paid for by
faith-based group is permissible, but school officials warned not to allow proselytizing

Loudoun County, VA – The ACLU of Virginia has asked Loudoun County High School Principal Bill Oblas to offer assurances that an abstinence advocate scheduled to speak at the school next Thursday will not use the opportunity to impose his religious views on students.

The speaker, Keith Deltano, bills himself as a “Christian comedian” who offers a variety of entertaining faith-based programs for young people and parents. The tab for Deltano’s appearance at the school is being picked up by Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, a religiously-based family planning center located in Leesburg.

“There is nothing wrong with abstinence as the topic of the program, and there is nothing wrong with the fact that it is being performed by a self-described Christian comedian or paid for by a faith-based organization,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “But this is a public school, and we are naturally concerned that the religious views of the speaker and the sponsoring organization, both of whom make faith-based arguments for abstinence, will seep into the presentation.”

“We simply want the school to get assurances from the speaker that he will not use the school program to impose his religious beliefs on a captive student audience,” added Willis.

The ACLU’s concerns stem not just from the religious objectives of Deltano and Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, but also from experiences with other faith-based speakers who have offered secular programs at public schools in Virginia and then used the programs to promote their religious views. Last year, twins Rick and Mick provided a free good citizenship program for students at a high school in the Williamsburg area, but used the program -- and the offer of free pizza, soft drinks and door prizes -- to entice students to attend their evangelical event scheduled for later that evening. School officials, unaware of Mick and Rick’s hidden agenda, admitted they were duped by the duo and later vowed not to invite them back.

A similar incident took place in the Charlottesville area several years ago when Rev. Franklin Graham offered a non-religious program at area schools, but recruited volunteers to hand out tickets to his religious revival as students departed.

In a letter from legal director Rebecca Glenberg, the ACLU of Virginia asked Oblas to get assurances from Deltano that there will be no religious references during the school program, no promotion of his religious books and videos or of the Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, and no written or oral invitations to Deltano’s evening programs or other off-campus religious activities. The letter below was faxed to Oblas on October 4.

Contact: Kent Willis, 804/644-8022

[ACLU of Virginia]

October 4, 2006

Via Facsimile (703/771-6595) and U.S. Mail

Bill Oblas, Principal
Loudoun County High School
415 Dry Mill Road SW
Leesburg, VA 20175

Dear Mr. Oblas:

I write concerning the assembly scheduled for October 12 to feature a pro-abstinence program by Keith Deltano. Because Mr. Deltano’s programs frequently include religious material, and because the event is being sponsored by a religious organization, I urge you to take careful steps to ensure that the program meets constitutional requirements.

As you may know, Mr. Deltano’s website bills him as a “Christian comedian,” and he offers a variety of faith-based programs and materials. While there is nothing wrong with this, the Constitution prohibits any religious indoctrination in the context of an official school event.

Furthermore, it is my understanding that the program will be funded by Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, a religiously based organization that “minister[s] to women, men, and teenagers affected by decisions related to their sexuality, especially unplanned pregnancies,” and that Mr. Deltano will be performing a faith-based program under their auspices later the same day as the school assembly. Again, while Life Line is free to disseminate whatever viewpoints it chooses, it may not propagate religious ideology in the context of a public school program.

Given these concerns, I ask that you take the following steps to ensure that the program complies with the Constitution:

(1) Ensure that there are no religious references during the in-school program;

(2) Do not allow any advertisement or promotion of Life Line Pregnancy Care Center, or of Mr. Deltano’s religious books and videos, as part of the assembly;

(3) Do not allow written or oral invitations to Mr. Deltano’s evening programs or other off-campus religious activities to be issued during the assembly.

Please feel free to contact me at (804) 644-8022 if you have any questions about these issues. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,
Rebecca K. Glenberg
Legal Director