A church-and-state watchdog group has filed suit against a boys and girls ranch in North Dakota, claiming taxpayer money is being used to "indoctrinate" kids in Christianity. The ranch is privately funded, but is used by state and county government to house an overflow of juvenile offenders.
Since 1952, the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch has offered services to the troubled youth of North Dakota. The state can’t afford to house, feed and rehabilitate all the young people who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, explained why her group filed suit.
"They attempt to modify behavior by directing children to find quote ‘faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,' " she said. "They use behavior modification that includes spiritual discussions, they pray at meals, there’s baptism, confirmation, devotion, and Bible study."
The ranch has a long history of involvement in the system, said Lisa Bjergaard, director of the Department of Juvenile Services in the state, and the staff understands the rules.
"Any funds that they use for any of their faith-based activities have to be privately raised, and the kids have to participate voluntarily," she told Family News in Focus.
Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst with Focus on the Family Action, said one complaint in 55 years is a pretty good track record.
"It’s only certain interest groups who make their fundraising life by searching out these particular causes and initiating lawsuits over them," he said, "that find these programs problematic."
