Pearland residents question religious rally's marketing to Pearland ISD students

"Pizza night" tickets distributed at the school assemblies. "Pizza night" tickets distributed at the school assemblies. Photo: Sue Matthews/Facebook Photo: Sue Matthews/Facebook Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Pearland residents question religious rally's marketing to Pearland ISD students 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Several Pearland residents are questioning the way a religious rally was promoted to Pearland ISD junior high and high school students during secular in-school assemblies on April 4 and 5.

Residents Wade and Sue Matthews and Dawson High School student Mike Floyd say the district should have clearly identified Go Tell Ministries, which presented the school assemblies, as a religious organization.

Go Tell Ministries is in town this week for its evangelical rally, the Bay Area Go Tell Crusade, happening all weekend at Challenger-Columbia Stadium in Webster. The secular On Track Assemblies, held in various local schools, are listed on the schedule as part of the religious crusade event. Go Tell Ministries is led by evangelical minister Rick Gage.

Pearland ISD Director of Communications Kim Hocott said the school assemblies were secular in nature, with motivational themes like being aware of the needs of others or treating fellow students like family. Rick Gage did not give the assembly presentations, she said. "It was a great message for our kids."

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Floyd, a senior who is a candidate in the upcoming Pearland ISD Board of Trustees election, said he attended one of the student assemblies that was held at his school.

He said the school district never told students that the On Track Assemblies presented during school hours were part of the Go Tell crusade.

Floyd also believes Go Tell Ministries misled students during the assemblies, heavily promoting what was billed as a "pizza night" at the stadium on April 8, without mentioning that the event is a religious revival. Tickets to the event, pictured above, were distributed to students during school.

"I think it's an honorable thing that he's trying to do," Floyd said of Gage's ministry. "But I think this is not a good way to get it done."

Hocott said the distribution of materials at non-school events is protected by law from discrimination based on content, so the tickets were allowed to be distributed to students who were interested. She said similar protections apply to presenters at school assemblies, who are not screened for their religious activities outside of the school.

She added that the district complied with Texas Association of School Boards policy in arranging the assemblies, which were also presented to other school districts in the area.

In a letter of complaint to the district, Wade Matthews says a parental opt-out form sent by Berry Miller Junior High also should have informed parents about the religious nature of Go Tell Ministries.

Matthews and his wife, Sue Matthews, posted photos on Facebook of a consent letter sent home to Berry Miller Junior High students. The Matthews' no longer have children attending PISD schools, but were provided a copy of the document by another parent, Sue Matthews said.

"It is important to note that all references to Mr. Gage as an evangelist are missing. All references to his life goal of leading young people to make decisions for Christ have been redacted," Wade Matthews said in his letter to the district.

Sue Matthews said she believes students need "a strong moral compass," but that the school district should not host events by any religious group without full disclosure on the nature of the group.

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Gage's group was invited to speak to students after he first gave a presentation to Pearland ISD's 80-member United for Kids group, which is comprised of school, government and community partners and meets bi-monthly, Hocott said.

"In the wake of suicides and other very serious student issues, it is unfortunate that the attempt to give students a good secular message about helping one another, making good choices, and getting help when you need it – is criticized because the presenters have activities outside of the school which are religious in nature," she said.

Floyd said he feels that the assemblies, which included 40 minutes of optical illusions and other tricks, were insensitive and out of touch.

"This was not the time to have people coming to our school doing magic tricks," he said. "The lack of understanding that they have really does show that they (district officials) are not in touch with the students or the parents."