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Religion, politics, and the Bible come together in the question: Should the Bible be taught in public schools?
Broadly speaking there are three answers to this question.
- The first is a definite “NO.” The state has no business teaching religion and religion has no place in schools paid for with public money.
- The second is a definite “YES.” Public schools have no right to “ban the Bible” from the majority of the Christian population. Teaching religion in public schools is essential to educate a morally upright population.
- The third is a definite “YES with qualifications.” This position argues that the Bible is an essential part of our own history and culture. Study of the bible is necessary to understand literature and art, as well as the religious roots of our own history and government. However, the Bible must be taught “neutrally,” without bias for or against any religion.
As a prime example of the third position, the Texas State Board Of Education has approved an elective course about the Bible in the state’s public high schools.
What is striking to me is how hard the Board is trying to walk the tightrope of the third position, by acknowledging that the Bible has been an essential part of Western history, at the same time it attempts to lay out guidelines for teaching such a course that do not violate state and federal law. See “General Meeting.”
The notes about the meeting also include Summary of Comments about the proposed courses.
The proposed Bible courses raise significant questions about the connections between religion, politics, and the Bible.
This course, and the comments about it, demonstrate the challenges of teaching a religious book without being religious about it in a society that is not supposed to promote one religion over another.
This is the dilmma that we face. The Texas State Board of Education is attempting to meet that challenge head-on.
In my next post, I will make some comments about these course requirements and the comments.
Dr. Kalinda Rose Stevenson
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