Bane Urges Deukmejian to Fire Parks Director Over Statement

SACRAMENTO — Assemblyman Tom Bane (D-Tarzana) on Thursday urged Gov. George Deukmejian to fire state Parks and Recreation Director Henry Agonia because of Agonia’s written statement that “it is time to erase the line that separates church and state, a line that should never have been drawn.”

In a letter to the governor, Bane said: “By calling for the elimination of the constitutional separation of church and state, Mr. Agonia is no longer qualified to continue” as parks director.

Agonia made his statements in an article he wrote entitled “Religion & Recreation: Erasing the Barrier,” which was published in the fall edition of a publication of the California Park and Recreation Society. He originally read the comments to a forum on recreation and religion held in March.

Other Critics

Bane, chairman of the Assembly Rules Committee, was joined by two other lawmakers and several major Jewish groups who criticized Agonia’s remarks.

But Tom Beermann, a spokesman for the governor, said Deukmejian has no plans to dismiss Agonia. At a press conference Wednesday, Deukmejian disassociated himself from the remarks, saying: “Our policy is that there should be separation of church and state.”

In the article, Agonia said: “We live in a society in which there is a separation of church and state. But the spirit of this nation is Christian. . . .”

He maintained that “Christian-based recreational programs are a means of meeting (recreation) needs today.” Government, he said, “should recognize this asset and support such programming in public facilities and begin a partnership with religious organizations. . . .”

In an interview Thursday, Agonia said he believes in the constitutional separation of church and state. “I’m not advocating a church state,” he said. Instead, he said he is seeking to lift the barrier between governments cooperating with churches to provide recreation programs.

He said parks and recreation departments are “missing an opportunity” to join together with such Christian organizations as the YMCA.

Agonia, 47, formerly director of the Glendale Parks and Recreation Department, was named to his position by Deukmejian in 1987.