Cobleskill-Richmondville High School may no longer be serving as a place of worship on Sundays.
School board members plan to revisit--and probably revise--their facilities-use policy that's permitted the Fusion Community Church to use the high school for Sunday services.
Board members will review possible changes to the policy at their meeting at 7pm Monday in the Golding School library. The meeting is open to the public.
Under the proposed revision, churches could not hold services in school buildings.
"We've talked about it and have been re-thinking it," school board President Bruce Tryon said. "And we've heard from the community, too."
Their action comes after Mr. Tryon received a letter from the American Center for Law & Justice arguing that C-R's policy unlawfully denies Fusion's constitutional rights.
The church-in-school issue surfaced early this year when residents protested Fusion's use of the high school for services.
Board members argued then over what to do, eventually approving a policy that allowed churches to use school buildings for up to six months, as long as they didn't have other suitable facilities.
The new policy came in July, and Fusion's six months expires December 31, according to school attorney Mike West. He also said Fusion sought a six-month extension, which the board denied.
That approaching December 31 deadline apparently triggered a seven-page letter to Mr. Tryon from Abigail Southerland, an attorney with the American Center for Law & Justice.
In it, Ms. Southerland contends that ending Fusion's stay abridges the church's freedom of speech under the First Amendment and that the board "has created a limited public forum" that would allow some outside groups to use the school and deny use to others, such as churches.
Ms. Southerland urges the school board to "discontinue its discriminatory policy and grant Fusion equal access to public school facilities.
"Otherwise, we will advise our client of its right to seek the appropriate redress in federal district court."
Neither Mr. Tryon nor Superintendent Lynn Macan had a response to the letter, but Mr. Tryon said Ms. Southerland's letter didn't prompt the board's about-face on church services in school.
It's been a simmering issue since July.
At that time, by allowing Fusion to use the school, "our intention was to be a good neighbor and help out the Fusion Church," Mr. Tryon said.
The July decision on a controversial topic put C-R in a difficult position, according to Mr. West.
"Part of the community didn't want the church there, and part of the community thought it was okay," he said. "We were right in the middle of it."
By revising the policy now, Mr. West added, C-R's stance will be in line with those of other school districts.
"When I looked at other policies, none of them had anything about church services," he said.
Reached Tuesday morning, Ms. Southerland said she and Fusion would have to see a drafted copy of the revised policy before commenting.
Fusion, Ms. Southerland said, is looking for a new space and discussing possibilities, "but obviously they're hoping the school will re-think the policy so Fusion and other religious groups can continue there."
The policy to be considered is likely to drop the language about church services.
The policy would, however, allow student-based religious groups to use school buildings, as long as they're not influenced by an outside congregation.
Other non-religious groups would be able to continue to use school buildings as they have in the past, Mr. Tryon said.
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