- New episode of Netherlands docuseries ‘God, Jesus, Trump!’ released Sunday
- Parents were incensed at school board official who allowed crew in school
- It’s still unknown if the Keller school district will sue the Dutch TV station
A Netherlands-based evangelical television network has caused uproar in Texas after releasing a new episode of its docuseries titled ‘God, Jesus, Trump!’ that controversially features footage of students from a local high school.
The faith-based Dutch film crew’s objective was to talk to Trump supporters across America, especially religious ones, to see why they voted for the former president.
But to some parents in the Keller school district, the film crew crossed the line on February 9 when they entered Central High School to speak to children.
‘My kid was filmed,’ parent Laney Hawes told local ABC affiliate WFAA. ‘This crew was brought in under false pretenses and it was political, that’s the truth.’
”I am disappointed with the journalistic integrity of the film crew,’ Hawes added.
The new episode released on Sunday is called ‘Texas – War on Woke,’ and the description said the purpose of the episode is to ‘talk to fanatical Trump supporters, conspiracy theorists and shooting Democrats’.’
Laney Hawes, parent of student featured in the documentary, said the crew ‘was brought in under false pretenses and it was political’
The crew films students at Central High School in Texas as part of their documentary episode ‘Texas – War on Woke.’
Former President Donald Trump gestures at supporters during his first 2024 rally on March 25, 2023 in Waco, Texas
On a day when the principal was absent, then-school board trustee Sandi Walker invited the film crew onto school grounds without the approval of parents or the district. Another trustee named Micah Young joined the crew when they were on campus.
Leaked emails show that the Dutch television station, Evangelische Omroep, responsible for airing the documentary reached out to Walker on January 18 telling her the film crew was coming to Texas to ‘look specifically at the WOKE agenda’ and ‘zoom in on (the) gender transition situation – in sports and public bathroom use,’ according to CBS News.
Walker reportedly accepted the offer to meet and wrote back: ‘I too want to glorify God.’
Now the documentary has aired, its narrator Tijs van den Brink revealed that after the crew filmed at the school, Walker ‘begged’ them not to air her interview because of the backlash she was receiving from parents. Walker resigned as trustee a short time later.
Brink ultimately didn’t include Walker’s interview, which outraged Hawes because her son, who was an unwilling participant, was in featured the documentary while Walker was cut out at her request.
Outside of Central High School, where the controversial Dutch filmmakers were invited as part of their documentary ‘God, Jesus, Trump!’
Former President Donald Trump waves to the crowd during a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport in Waco, Texas on March 25, 2023
‘I think that speaks volumes about what was in that interview and why she resigned,’ Hawes said.
The camera crew also featured an LGBTQ-friendly church in the documentary.
Its pastor Katie Hays told WFAA: ‘I think they were fair to show there’s a range of Christian expression in this country. I think people around the world are truly curious about how conservative Christians in our country can align themselves with a person like Donald Trump’.
‘I think they wanna understand why white, evangelical Christians keep voting for him,’ she added.
Brink’s team also interviewed a female student from Holland who discussed how sex education is very liberal and open in her home country, while in Texas its more taboo.
Brink said in the documentary that he had permission from the girl’s parents to air her comments, but he doesn’t appear to defend the other footage from inside the school, according the WFAA.
Trustee Young remains on the board despite his role in the controversy, and a Keller school district spokesperson said they have not yet made a decision to pursue legal action against Evangelische Omroep.
‘We have repeatedly demanded through legal representation that the unauthorized footage be destroyed or returned, and those requests have not been met,’ the spokesperson said.