The head of the Philadelphia school district has created a task force of religious leaders to establish closer ties with faith-based groups, a move critics say risks violating the separation between church and state.
Paul Vallas, the district's chief executive officer, said the panel could help with tutoring, mentoring, counseling and organizing faith-based clubs.
``As long as our children are falling victim to violence in our streets, as long as we have problems of student behavior in schools, as long as we have disrespect and bullying in our schools, we'll continue to promote partnerships and close working relationships with faith-based organizations,'' Vallas said.
The task force of rabbis, ministers and other clergy could become one of the largest collaborations of its kind, according to national experts.
But opponents say the collaboration is inappropriate and could be illegal.
``For the school CEO to ask religious leaders to take an active role in sponsoring religious activities runs against the spirit of the Constitution and court rulings, if not the letter of the law itself,'' said Barry Morrison, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League.
In May, Vallas invited churches to start gospel choirs and prayer clubs. Last year, the district sponsored a back-to-school meeting with speeches and prayers by clergy.
``This is a man who seems to get dangerously close to crossing, and now may be crossing, the line between government neutrality and government promotion of religion,'' said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Task force members said they plan to keep their activities as secular as possible.
``I am happy to be able to say that the members of this task force are very, very clear about it being crucial that everything we do is legal and secular,'' Rabbi George Stern said. ``We are not preaching anything.''