News Release

November 19, 1999

Centerville, Utah

Contact: Paul W. Mortensen, 801 292-7059

The Jefferson 21st Century Institute is investigating Park City High School's recent hosting of a six-day Buddhist monk religious ceremony sponsored by actor Richard Gere. The problem, according to Institute executive director, Paul W. Mortensen, is that the ceremony occurred continuously during school hours when high school students were required by law to be at school.

The monks' mandala ceremony is inaugurated by sacred music, religious chants and prayers. Then, over five days, a sand painting dedicated to a deity is constructed in the form of a sacred circle which details a sacred spiritual mansion associated with the deity. On the sixth day the sand painting is destroyed and the sand is poured into a local stream to reconsecrate the earth and its inhabitants.

The inauguration and five day construction of the sacred sand painting at Park City High School occurred continuously during school hours during the school week of October 18-22 at the lobby of high school's performing arts auditorium, with the closing rites occurring on Saturday October 23.

While the sand painting was under construction the monks offered sacred music, religious literature and religious artifacts for sale. The Institute observed dozens of high school students visit the ceremony and sale table during breaks from classes, according to Mortensen.

The Institute has sent letters and records requests to both Park City High School Principal Hal Smith and Park City School District Superintendent Nancy T. DeFord. In its letters the Institute invites school administrators to explain why the ceremony was hosted during school hours in light of school district policies which prohibit sponsorship of devotional activities and which provide that the high school's performing arts auditorium is to be available for rental only during non-school hours.

The letters also inquire about the monks' use of the high school gymnasium to play basketball and about a "conga line" in which students danced behind a monk through the lobby.

Finally, the letter asks whether other religious groups would be allowed to use the High School facilities under the same terms provided to the monks and with similar student access and participation.

The Tibetan Buddhist monks are part of a continuous tour sponsored by actor Richard Gere. Last spring a school board in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania blocked the monks from appearing at Pennsylvania schools concluding such to be an improper sponsorship of religion. Last year the Institute issued a lengthy report criticizing the monks' 1998 appearances at Grand High School in Moab and at West High School in Salt Lake City. The report is available at the Institute's web site, www.j21c.org.

While in Park City, the monks also performed sacred music and sacred dances in the high school auditorium on the evening of October 22, 1999. According to Mr. Mortensen, so long as standard rental procedures were followed, the Institute is not concerned about this performance as it did not occur during school hours.

The Jefferson 21st Century Institute is a non-partisan non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the separation of religion and government.

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