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Steamboat Springs — The occasional presence of a youth Christian ministry in Steamboat Springs Middle School has raised the concern of some local parents.

Beginning in September, the local chapter of Young Life, a Colorado Springs-based youth Christian organization, has entered the middle school during lunch hours and interacted with students.

Other local groups, such as the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, also have entered the school and met with students.

Chris Teeters, the youth pastor at Euzoa Bible Church, has served as the Young Life representative at the middle school.

During these visits, Teeters has handed out fliers advertising Young Life functions to students. One of the fliers advertised a dance at the school, but nothing on the flier indicated Young Life, said Tom Miller-Freutel, the parent of a middle school student.

Young Life also has brought McDonald's food into the cafeteria, welcoming students to sit, talk and eat with Young Life representatives.

Amid the concerns of a few parents, Principal Tim Bishop asked that all visiting groups set up a table in the school's main hallway, where kids are welcome to approach the tables, but group representatives are not allowed to initiate contact with students.

"We are very confident that all these groups are following the policy," Bishop said.

Following the policy is not what most concerns parent Jeff Troeger.

"It just doesn't seem fair to try to get to my children without my knowledge and my understanding," Troeger said. "With this age group, religion is still very much a family issue. I feel like this activity is trying to bypass the family."

Bishop said he and Assistant Principal Jerry Buelter closely monitor visiting groups and that Young Life doesn't discuss religion with the kids.

"It's just meeting and greeting," Bishop said. "We've been very on the ball in terms of listening to what they're saying (to kids). There's no religion being practiced or taught."

Superintendent Cyndy Simms said all groups who enter schools have a similar mission.

"I think all groups we let in, their intention is to recruit," Simms said. "Boy Scouts want to recruit kids for Boy Scouts and Winter Sports Club wants kids to join Winter Sports Club. We can't decide whether one group can come in and one group can't."

According to the Young Life Web site, the group's mission is "introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith." Young Life accomplishes its mission through numerous steps, including "going where kids are, building personal relationships with them, winning the right to be heard, sharing our lives and the Good News of Jesus Christ with adolescents and encouraging kids to live connected to the Body of Christ by being an active member of a local congregation."

"I don't think many parents know what's going on," Miller-Freutel said. "These kids are impressionable."

The school district's current policy dealing with the distribution and posting of material defines Steamboat schools as "limited open forums" under the provisions of the Federal Equal Access Act.

The Equal Access Act mandates that meetings must be student-initiated and that non-school persons "may not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend activities of student groups."

Simms said Chris Gdowski, the school district's Denver-based attorney, has told the district it has not violated the law or school policy by allowing Young Life onto school grounds.

"Our attorneys clearly said we have to treat everybody the same," Simms said.

Gdowski did not return calls seeking comment.

Freedom of speech is also at the center of the issue, Simms said.

"I agree completely with the First Amendment," Troeger said. "But I don't think it's a fair forum for adults to be speaking to kids."

Miller-Freutel and Troeger said the issue isn't with Euzoa Bible Church.

"We would have the same objection if any other religious organization came in," Miller-Freutel said. "We have nothing against Euzoa Bible Church."

Any adult allowed to come into the school during classes poses safety concerns, no matter what group he or she represents, Miller-Freutel and Troeger said.

Bishop said he wants the community to feel it is welcomed in his school, and he wants the kids to feel that the community cares about them. But he said he's also responsive to parent concerns.

"I'm sensitive," Bishop said. "If our parents don't feel the same way, I will change what we're doing as long as the school board agrees."