January 22. On this date in 1976, the Universal House of Justice wrote a memorandum to the International Teaching Centre emphasizing that "The important thing is to impress upon Bahá'í children that personal friendship and individual companionship with children of Covenant- breakers must be avoided."

January 22. On this date in 1976, the Universal House of Justice wrote a memorandum to the International Teaching Centre emphasizing that "The important thing is to impress upon Bahá'í children that personal friendship and individual companionship with children of Covenant- breakers must be avoided."

The Bahá'í students who go to schools which children of Covenant-breakers attend should be made, lovingly and wisely, to understand that as Bahá'ís they cannot and must not choose children of Covenant-breakers as their personal friends, without making the matter into an open issue before the school. Thus, there should be no hard and fast rule to the effect that no Bahá'í child should be enrolled in a school where children of Covenant-breakers are also enrolled, or that they should leave a school as soon as a child of a Covenant-breaker enters it. The important thing is to impress upon Bahá'í children that personal friendship and individual companionship with children of Covenant- breakers must be avoided. Should it be found that in a particular case the situation is such that the policy outlined above cannot be followed, then in such cases, which we hope can be kept to a minimum, it would be desirable for Bahá'í children to change schools.
(From a memorandum dated 22 January 1976 to the International Teaching Centre)