May 1, 2005
Much to the chagrin of groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way, Bible curriculum classes are being taught in more than a thousand public high schools across the United States.
It is a controversial idea in much of postmodern America -- public schools teaching young people about the Judeo-Christian Bible. Associated Press reports that in Odessa, Texas, hundreds of people recently crowded into a school board meeting venue to weigh in on whether their district would add a Bible class to its high school curriculum. More than 6,000 residents had signed a petition in favor of the class, but others warned that the district would be flirting with litigation if it approved the addition.
The Odessa School Board voted unanimously to adopt the Bible class. Barring obstacles, the class could be added in 2006 and taught as a history or a literature course. A similar proposal in Frankenmuth, Michigan, developed into a year-long debate before that school board voted last January not to add the Bible class to its course offerings.
Some school districts are frightened off by the specter of lawsuits; nevertheless, Bible curriculum classes are now being taught in some 1,100 high schools in 300 school districts in 35 states across the nation -- and this is going on during school hours, for credit, with the Bible as the textbook. That is because those 300 school districts are currently offering a course called "The Bible as History and Literature," a course curriculum from the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools (NCBCPS).
According to data gathered by Christian researcher George Barna's organization, 50 percent of Americans agree that kids are not well prepared for life intellectually, and 75 percent of adults say kids are not well prepared for life morally. Many parents and educators are concerned about the future of these youth and are eager to find ways to make a difference.
And as more and more school officials and communities learn of the existence of the "Bible as History and Literature" course, more and more districts are requesting it in hopes of positively affecting young hearts and minds. The cutting edge curriculum from NCBCPS has been endorsed by a number of illustrious, pro-family celebrities, including actors Chuck Norris and Dean Jones, and sports star Tony Dorsett, and the word has been spreading.
Biblical Education -- A Growing Trend
Council president Elizabeth Ridenour says the Bible classes are growing in popularity in every region of the U.S. "As soon as they find out through their local citizens and the literature that we provide that it is legal to do this -- and the Supreme Court says it is legal to do this -- then they have been jumping on it," she says.
