Written by Don Byrd
Bible courses in many Texas schools are falling short of the safeguards set by the legislature. So says a report by the Texas Freedom Network. The difficulty of ensuring constitutionally sound courses on the Bible – those that avoid endorsing or promoting religion while studying the text for its literary and cultural significance – is something I’ve talked about several times here at the BJC Blog. Just because the use of religious text in schools is permissible in limited situations does not mean it’s a good idea. The report indicates some of the reasons why. The Austin-American Statesman reports:
Chancey examined the 57 school districts and three charter schools offering Bible courses in the 2011-12 school year to see whether guidelines established by House Bill 1287 in 2007 improved the impartiality of Texas Bible courses. The legislation sought to regulate courses for the first time. His research identified just 11 schools he considered “most successful,” defined as largely constitutional and academically rigorous.
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The study highlighted 20 districts and one charter school as having “most problematic” courses. One course is from the Belton Independent School District, about 60 miles north of Austin. The study pointed to course materials from the “Bible as Literature” course that treat the word of God as fact and say that “giving God his rightful place in the national life of this country has provided a rich heritage for all its citizens.”
You can read the report here.
