MIDDLETON, Wis. – Middleton High School officials are putting the kibosh on “Jesus Lunches.”

School officials issued a Dear Families letter yesterday outlining their objections to the growing popularity of a free off-campus lunch program sponsored by Christian parents, and demanded that parents follow a list of school protocols.

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Parents have hosted the student lunches for years, but they’ve apparently become a big thing, and officials allege parents have ignored their demands to cease and desist.

According to the letter, first publicized by talk radio host Vicki McKenna:

These lunches began on a very small scale with one/ two parents bringing sandwiches to their own children at MHS, sitting down with them at lunch, outside the building and discussing their Christian faith. It then expanded to the parents bringing more and more lunches to give to students interested in sitting down and discussing their religious faith.

In speaking with parents about concerns regarding informal gatherings growing into larger ones with the dissemination of food and giving away of Bibles. The parents/ students moved from outdoors on the south lawn of the school, to an off campus location (which would have been allowable but would have required school administration to inform parents of any incentivizing of students to eat lunch free in exchange for attendance), and finally to Fireman’s Park in the fall of 2015.

In both cases of the south lawn and the off campus locations, (Principal) Steve Plank expressed an opposition to the growing event, and conveyed to these parents that this practice violates school and district policy.

The letter goes on to explain that the school district leases Fireman’s Park, and it’s technically school property during school hours, and the district maintains authority to control the space. The Jesus Lunches violate school policy because the volunteer adults don’t always check in at the school, and school officials don’t have an opportunity to inspect the food for cleanliness and potential allergens.

“If students are interested in organizing student led activities, MHS staff are happy to work with them and will convey the district and school policies that govern activities,” the letter states. “This, however, appears to be an event initiated by adults without approval by the school.”

A feature on the wildly successful Jesus Lunches published by AllGodsPeople.com in February explained how five students praying with their mothers at lunch turned into 10, and the idea ballooned from there.

“In the spring of 2014 … 10 students invited their friends to a free lunch and a brief spiritual talk in the open air pavilion across from the High School. The group meets for eight weeks in the Fall, and eight weeks in the Spring.  The first week 40 students showed up, then 70, the next week, 100 students came. The five moms make all the meals, set the tables, arrange for the speakers and clean up, every week,” the site reports.

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“Last fall the word had spread (pun intended) and the first week 200 kids showed up, then 300, then 400-450 every week!  That represents 25% of the Middleton High School student body, meeting every week for a free hot lunch and listening to a Christian message.”

It costs the mothers up to $2,500 to feed the nearly 500 students who now attend the lunches, and they gather the money and resources from local churches and Christian-based businesses. Seacrest Apple Orchard, for example, donates fresh apples. The Gideons donate Bibles.

“This year the Madison Christian Giving Fund has granted $5,000 to the Jesus Lunch to help pay for hot home made lunches for these students, and more importantly, to open doors to conversations about Jesus,” AllGodsPeople reports.

School officials allege parents have threatened legal action to continue the free lunches and conversations about Jesus. The district, meanwhile, “will continue its efforts to enforce its health, safety and welfare policies for events involving students,” the letter to parents read.

Plank wrote in the letter that officials “believe that religious or political events do not have a place in our schools or on our campus, except when sponsored by a student group in accordance with our rules, which require prior approval.

“In addition, many students have conveyed to us their concern about a group offering free food to incentivize participation in a religious event on campus,” he continued. “The result of which has a divisive impact on our learning community. As such, we will continue to work with the parent group to find an amicable solution.”