SEE YOU AT THE POLE

'See You at the Pole' (SYATP) is an annual gathering of Christian students of all ages at a flagpole in front of their local school for prayer, scripture-reading and hymn-singing, during an early morning hour preceding the start of the school day. The American SYATP events occur on every fourth Wednesday of September^[1].
This annual gathering began in Burleson, Texas, in 1990, as a response to a Disciple Now weekend with a handful of Christian students. It has grown by word of mouth, announcements at youth rallies and churches, and the Internet; SYATP meetings now occur internationally.
Student organizers of SYATP make the event known to their classmates via various advertising methods such as instant messaging, e-mail and posting fliers in schools. At a majority of SYATP gatherings, the typical setting is that students read scripture selected by the event organizers with the student organizers explaining the meaning of the verses, followed by the singing of praises of Yahweh such as "Awesome God" and "Shine, Jesus, Shine" and a final moment of prayer led by the leaders. At times, gatherings may include an open prayer session, an invitation to convert to Christianity, the giving-away of special SYATP wristbands and at times, Christian entertainment and refreshments for students including morning treats such as donuts or Pop Tarts while the students circle and listen to Christian bands on a radio brought by an organizer.
In 2005, over 2 million students in the US participated.^[2] Also in 2005, schools from countries all over the world participated, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Germany, Ghana, Guam, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Scotland, and South Africa.^[3]

Contents

Controversy

References

Controversy

Some critics of "See You at the Pole" believe the event is about reinstating school prayer and/or the religious teachings of Jesus of Nazareth on school property. They believe SYATP violates premise of separation of church and state found in the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. The organization advocating and guiding student participation in SYATP events insists that they be exclusively student-initiated and led without official endorsement or interference, according to rights affirmed by the ''Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District'' decision of the U.S. Supreme Court — as well as a 1995 Clinton administration assignment of the President's Secretary of Education for legalization of particular school religious activities as long as they passed constitutional guidelines. However, courts have upheld the legality of the event as long as it is "student-led".^[4]
In 2006, school officials at South Floyd High School in Floyd County, Kentucky tried to deny students permission for the flag pole rally, but attorneys from the Rutherford Institute were successful in arguing for the students' free speech rights. "It's important that students, teachers and others know about their right to participate in See You at the Pole events — a right affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court," said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, in a released statement. "The rallies are part of a long tradition of free and equal participation in expressive activities guaranteed by our Constitution."^[5]
Some critics are concerned about practices that have occurred at several schools, which involved writing the names of non-Christian students on pieces of paper and nailing them to a cross.^[6]

References

1. Official web site
2. Article at ''Everything Alabama''
3. http://web.theparisnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=c9dcb6f546b132c5 The Paris News
4. Public schools have right to pray, worship
5. "Students Encouraged to Take Prayers, Bibles to School" By Lillian Kwon, ''Christian Post Reporter''
6. Religious Tolerance dot Org