FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – For years, schools in Florence School District One have participated in Operation Christmas Child, a charity founded by the Rev. Franklin Graham.
Now, a humanist group claims the district cut ties with the program.
According to the American Humanist Association, it started with the initial contact from a parent of a student from Delmae Elementary School after receiving a letter from the schools about its participation in the charity.
Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan’s Purse. The goal is to collect gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need in different countries.
Delmae Elementary has participated in Operation Christmas Child since at least 2006.
In November, AHA sent a letter to both the district’s superintendent and Delmae’s principal claiming “the boxes of toys are essentially a bribe, used to pressure poor children living in developing countries to convert to Christianity.”
In a statement from the group’s Executive Director, Roy Speckhardt, “public schools can encourage charitable giving but must remain neutral on religion.”
The AHA says it received a written assurance from the district that it will no longer endorse or participate in Operation Christmas Child and instead, give donated toys and other items to local secular charities.
Florence One tells News13 the charity has never been a district wide sponsored event.
Schools that do participate will inform parents that participation is voluntary and coordinated by an after-school organization.
News13 also contacted Operation Christmas Child, which issued the following statement:
“Since the project began in 1993, we have been privileged to have tens of thousands of different groups and organizations participate in Operation Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization. As our name indicates, and as is communicated in promotional materials and our website, we are a project that aims to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus. Our purpose is to show God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. We do this by distributing millions of shoebox gifts to hurting children to let them know that they are not forgotten. These shoeboxes are given to children as free gifts, with no conditions attached. Operation Christmas Child is open to anyone who chooses to participate in this Christmas project.”
