Without the parents’ consent, more than 100 youngsters at a North Carolina school were baptised.
The students at Northwood Temple Academy reportedly opted to participate in the significant religious ceremony after they “spontaneously announced their beliefs.”
Before others wished to participate, just three middle and high school kids were slated to be baptised during the service.
Parents have criticised the Christian school, claiming that it shouldn’t be up to them to make such a significant choice and that they would have like to be there at such a momentous milestone in their children’s life.
Some complained to the instructors, claiming that their parental rights had been violated.
One parent said that while she was engaged in a conference call, her 11-year-old daughter was baptised.
“Mama, can you get me some dry clothing,” my daughter calls me from school, she said, according to what she told the Fayetteville Observer. I underwent baptism today. I yelled, “WHAT?”
Another person expressed her opinion that it “undid the baptism that had previously occurred in church.”
On its Facebook page, the school spoke with pride about how many kids were inspired to participate in the event.
I can feel you ready to move in my bones, it read.
Over 100 middle level and high school students voluntarily professed their religion and were baptised today.
Over the coming several days, additional images of these stirring events will be uploaded, we promise!
However, some parents have already voiced their concerns to the principal, Renee McLamb.
‘In retrospect, we would handle things differently and offer the youngsters the option to contact their parents and seek permission to be baptised,’ she said in an email to the Observer.
We did not anticipate such a strong reaction to the message that was delivered, but as a mother, I can understand why some parents were unhappy.
As part of Spiritual Emphasis Week, which runs concurrently with regular courses for three days, the school was participating.
‘This morning’s baptisms were ending Spiritual Emphasize week and there were just two souls slated to be baptised,’ the pastor’s wife Liz Ray, who was present at the event, said on Facebook.
The HS and MS instructors and administration gave their all this week in submission to Father God.
The HS and MS students’ hearts were then instantly moved by the Holy Spirit, and they started to react by publicly professing their belief in Christ as their Savior.
But not enough towels were available, and the students continued walking up to the altar to be baptised. We made an effort to make the towels dry enough for the next user. Nevertheless, more than 100 students answered.