DENVER, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A public charter school in Colorado is cutting ties with a Christian charity for needy children after atheists threatened to sue, school officials said.
The SkyView Academy in Highlands Ranch, a kindergarten through eighth grade school that is part of the Douglas County School District, had for the past two years collected donations for Operation Christmas Child, a charity run by a non-denominational Christian group that sends gifts of toys, candy, personal hygiene products and other items -- along with a gospel-preaching message -- to poor children worldwide.
The American Humanist Society sent the school's board or education a letter threatening a lawsuit if it continued to associate with the religious group, The Denver Post reported Tuesday.
School board President Lori Grove said officials were dismayed students' efforts to help those in need were targeted for litigation but opted to end official ties with the church group nonetheless.
"We felt shocked and disappointed," she said. "It was hard to believe we were receiving a threatening letter based on the good intentions of our students."
Kimberly Saviano of the atheist group's Colorado chapter said she didn't know who sent the letter but supported its message of keeping religion out of the classroom.
"I love the idea of the gifts to children, but there are certain proprieties tied with something like this, and that is when they go off the rails," Saviano said. "There are places for these type of things and a public school is not one of them."
The charity work with Operation Christmas Child was not mandated but students are required to perform community service work as part of the school's curriculum and it was one of the ways to satisfy that requirement.
Now, some parents of the students who worked on behalf of the charity said they're taking their donations off school property but promised to continue the effort.
"This is still happening," said parent Ruth VanSant.
