Texas board approves standards for Bible classes in high schools
The Legislature passed a law in 2007 allowing Bible courses to be offered as an elective. They are supposed to focus on the history and literature of the Bible without preaching or disparaging any faith.
State officials are still waiting for an attorney general's ruling on whether the classes must be offered to students or left to school districts to decide.
Critics say the rule adopted 10-5 by the board doesn't provide specific enough guidelines to help teachers and school districts know how to do that and avoid a First Amendment clash over freedom of religion.
"This is what happens when our elected officials put politics and personal agendas ahead of the interests of our school children and their families," said Ryan Valentine, deputy director Texas Freedom Network, which monitors the influence of religion in public policy.
Supporters say schools will have all the constitutional guidance they need. The purpose of the classes is to teach biblical content and its context in modern society, including culture, art and public policy.
Courses shall not "endorse, favor or promote or disfavor or show hostility toward any particular religion or nonreligious faith or religious perspective," the rule says.
"I think that's pretty specific," said Jonathan Saenz of the conservative Free Market Foundation. "The constitutional safeguards are there."
Mark Chancey, associate professor in religious studies at Southern Methodist University, has studied Bible classes already offered in about 25 districts for the Texas Freedom Network.
The study found most of the courses were explicitly devotional with almost exclusively Christian, usually Protestant, perspectives.
It also found that most were taught by teachers with no academic training in biblical, religious or theological studies and who were not familiar with the issues of separation of church and state.
"Some classes promote creation science. Some classes denigrate Judaism. Some classes explicitly encourage students to convert to Christianity or to adopt Christian devotional practices," Chancey said. "This is all well documented, and the board knows it."
State Attorney General Greg Abbott's office weighed in on the general guidelines earlier this month, saying they pass constitutional muster. Abbott's office wouldn't guarantee, however, that a specific course would be constitutional.
Recent comments
The bible is an historical document.
And is worthy of academic...
Anonymous | July 20, 2008 at 3:37 p.m.
consider following the example of Utah and Arizona and offer released...
Maybe Texas should | July 19, 2008 at 8:48 p.m.
