Written by Don Byrd
Bible-related classes taught to elementary students during the school day in the Rowan-Salisbury, North Carolina school system are being reviewed by officials following a complaint letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The letter acknowledges that public schools are allowed to teach about religion in certain contexts, but raises concerns about the Rowan-Salisbury classes, including allegations the Bible stories are being taught as fact, including the creation story.
That the classes are being taught to young students is also particularly troubling to the group, who emphasize that allowing parents to opt their children out of the classes, the group warns, does not cure the constitutional violation:
Suggesting that children who do not wish to be subjected to religious activity at their school should be segregated from their classmates is reprehensible. It shames students into either outing themselves as different or showing deference to a religion they do not believe in and their parents do not want them subjected. Parents should not be required to excuse students from constitutional violations, and segregating students based on religious beliefs . . . is not a way to get around prohibitions on religious activity in public schools.
An allegation that local churches are funding these classes only adds to the concern. According to a local news report from WSOC, school district officials are investigating the complaint.
