Reuven Blau/New York Daily News
A group of proselytizing Christians have disrupted the end of classes at the Community Roots charter school next to the Farragut Houses in Brooklyn.
Here’s some candy, little boy. Now, can we tell you about God?
A group of proselytizing bible thumpers is disturbing classes at a charter school in Fort Greene — giving out treats to the tots before delivering a message about Jesus.
Members of a Bushwick Christian church use a yellow van to preach in front of Community Roots charter school on 51 St. Andrews St. every Tuesday.
The team of three mobile missionaries offers the children treats and songs as part of a 30-minute religious rant starting at 5 p.m.
The previous week, one of the project preachers dressed up in a cheap blue biblical garb she and her colleagues acted out the fable of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They urged the roughly 30 children in attendance to stay away from forbidden fruit — represented last week by Halloween candy.
Charter school classes are still in session at the same time and the loud speaker scriptures can be heard in some rooms.
Some parents think it’s a plague.
Reuven Blau / New York Daily New
Jean Holybrice, (with his son, Aaron Thomas, 6) complains that the religious group preys on his kid and others.
“I have a visceral reaction to anything predatorily religious, which is what it seems,” said Fredrik Anderson, 48, whose 9-year-old son attends to the charter school.
The van donned with kid friendly balloons and a wall inside filled with cheap toys largely attracts children from low-income families who live in the nearby Farragut and Ingersoll Houses. They attend the struggling Public School 67, which shares space with the charter school.
On some days, the van becomes a de facto after-school program where kids plant themselves on a large mat to listen to the catchy catechism while they wait for their parents.
“They are taking advantage of the kids,” said Jean Holybrice, 44, as he picked up his son, Aaron Thomas, 6.
Thomas said his teachers frequently are forced to close the classrooms windows in an effort to block out the bible lessons.
“But you still hear it,” he said.
The previous week, a church staffer defended the routine and said the clergy team had no intention of upsetting the nearby school.
Reuven Blau
The van becomes a de facto after-school program for some kids.
“Our point is not to mess with kids who are in school. We are here to help people in the community,” said Josh, who declined to give his last name.
But he and other staffer admitted they’ve never reached out to the heads of the charter school.
Most parents keep their children away from weekly bible barrage. But some find it informative and a good lesson for their children.
“It’s the word of God. They help keep the kids straight,” said one parent who declined to give her name.
The organization has been visiting schools and housing projects throughout the city for more than 30 years, according to supporters of the group. The flagship church is based in Bushwick at 403 Evergreen Ave.
The van hits different, largely poor, neighborhoods each day.
On Wednesday it stops at Public School 298 in Brownsville, Thursday by the Marcy Houses and by the flagpole on Columbia St. in Red Hook and Friday by P.S. 284 in Brownsville.
The church did not return several calls and emails seeking comment. Charter school officials also declined to comment, though one teacher told the News that the church shows were the talk of the school.
And his tone was definitely not from the Good Book.
rblau@nydailynews.com
http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info/?p=16824
via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info
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