Texas State Law Requires Teaching Of Bible In Public School
Posted on August 17, 2009
If anything should bring the ACLU out of the woodwork, well, other than protecting Islamic Jihadis, and cause a full Force 10 freakout, this should
The school year is almost here, and if literature of the Bible is not already offered in your child’s school, it will be this fall.
Books are a common sight in classrooms around the nation, but the Bible is one book that is not. Come this fall, a Texas law says all public schools must offer information relating to the Bible in their curriculum.
“By the end of the year, what they begin to realize is that it is pervasive. You can’t get away from it. The kids came back and were like ‘It’s everywhere,’” said John Keeling, the social studies chair at Whitehouse High School. Whitehouse already offers a Bible elective. ”The purpose of a course like this isn’t even really to get kids to believe it, per se, it is just to appreciate the profound impact that it has had on our history and on our government.”
The law actually passed in 2007, but this will be the first school year it is enforced because the bill says, ”The provisions of this act pertaining to a school district do not take effect until the 2009-2010 school year.”
Personally, I find this a toughy. If it is taught more as a history or a sociology course, hey, that’s great. I have always thought that religion should be taught by the parents and the church, though. But, hey, I went to a private school which had mandatory vespers and some religious teaching, and quite a few other folks went to schools where religion is taught. The vast majority of us turned out fine. Interesting how most killers and assassins tend to be left leaners who really do not have a notion of God, though, eh?
People with a strong notion of morality and God will still have failings, as they are human. But, at least they have a moral center, of which the Bible provides.
So far, it looks like the courts have decided that the law is legal, and in compliance with the Texas State Constitution. The most specific part would be Sections 6 and 7 of their Bill Of Rights
Sec. 6. FREEDOM OF WORSHIP. All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship. But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship.
As long as it is not being taught as a religious class, and forced worship, the law is in compliance.
Sec. 7. APPROPRIATIONS FOR SECTARIAN PURPOSES. No money shall be appropriated, or drawn from the Treasury for the benefit of any sect, or religious society, theological or religious seminary; nor shall property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such purposes.
That is one which, when stretched, could get the law in trouble, but, so far, no challenge has voided the law, and why in the heck am I giving the ACLU ideas?
Oh, and for those who want to quote the 1st Amendment of the Constitution at me, well, it doesn’t apply. The 1st applies to the Federal government, not to any State governments. What is the first word in it?
Anyhow, it is good to see an American school providing a context for Christianity, rather than for things like Muslim week.
More: Oops. Looks like Excitable Chucky doesn’t actually understand what the 1st Amendment of the United States Bill Of Rights actually means. And, of course, in his Progressive World, everyone who preaches Christianity is a fundamentalist wackjob.
Little Green Footballs 2.0 catches The Daily Kosbats going kosbatty.
» Filed Under 10th Amendment, 1st Amendment, ACLU, Church And State, Education, Founding Fathers, History, News, State's Constitution, States Rights, U.S. Constitution, religion
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10 Responses to “Texas State Law Requires Teaching Of Bible In Public School”
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“The vast majority of us turned out fine. Interesting how most killers and assassins tend to be left leaners who really do not have a notion of God, though, eh?”
Funny how only 1% of the US prison population are atheists. Funny how that’s an under-representation of the population of atheists as a whole, while every other religious group correlates almost perfectly with their population outside of prison and that inside of prison. (ie, Catholics represent 35% of the population and 35% of the prison population)
Funny how the most religious states are the most violent and crime filled. While the states with the most atheists are the least violent states in the USA.
“But, at least they have a moral center, of which the Bible provides.”
The bible provides a strong moral grounding? We’re talking about a book which condones the stoning of women, where men can be killed if they’re caught collecting firewood on the sabbath, where mothers are forced to watch as their babies are dashed against the rocks- as commanded by God.
But our morals come from that book? Absolutely not, we have a set of morals that come from outside any book. Perhaps the idea of heaven reinforces our determination not to steal or lie etc, but it’s by no means a “moral center”.
I’ve never heard a preacher teaching why it’s ok to kill women via stoning, and it makes you wonder, if the bible is such a strong moral guide why do we need to pick and choose its lessons?
I don’t have a problem with what Texas is doing. I have a problem with whoever wrote this article.
I also went to a private school, learned about the bible and came out of it fine. However judging by what I know of the USA and Texas, teaching the bible without any religion involved is just going to devolve into a creationist class- teaching kids that the world is 6000 years old, dinosaurs are made by Satan and that evolution is a lie.
Funny how only 1% of the US prison population are atheists.
Do Atheists believe in prisons?
Seriously, what would be funny would be you supporting your statements with credible sources showing precise statistics on the religious demographics of U.S. prisons.
Good luck with that considering how Michigan, California and a few other states gather statistics on religious preferences.
(Oops… California hasn’t maintained those stats for 15 years or so.)
You are correct that the whole Bill of Rights is only meant to limit the federal and not state government but you forgot that legal fictions,lies, abound in the court systems.
In Benjamin Franklin’s 1749 plan of education for public schools in Pennsylvania, he insisted that schools teach “the excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern.”
There’s no shortage of fiction and lies in our “educational” system as well, Kerwin.
Actually, no more most, if not all, domestic terrorist are christian fanatics. Abroad it is a mix of religions. Religion poisons countries. One of the reasons this country was founded. Freedom of religion which Christians feel the need persecute others for. I’m christian but imposing beliefs on a family should be a crime. America has been on a downward spiral for 9 years now.
Loboinok, I like how you asked me for a credible source, but ask for none by the actual author of this article.
His assassin/murderer statement needs citation before I write this site off as horse [expletive deleted].
But since you asked and a simple google search can turn up dozens of sources, here you go.
http://www.holysmoke.org/icr-pri.htm
Assuming atheists make up the lowest feasible amount of 8%, they’re the only underrepresented group.
Actually, the Bill of Rights does apply to state governments as well as the Federal government. You’ll note that when state and municipal governments try to enact gun control laws, challenges are brought under the Second Amendment – of the FEDERAL Constitution! It does work both ways. Prayer in public, state-run schools has been challenged under the First Amendment (successfully) many times. Just get your facts straight.
Please increase your reading comprehension, Stella. This was a discussion of the 1st. The second sure does apply to the States. The first doesn’t.
Most of the states patterned their constitutions on the federal one. “Congress” applies to the federal congress.
Nice try. Stay on topic.
i dont give $#%& WHO you quote in the past. the bottom line is that we live in the PRESENT and we SHOULD have learned by now to RESPECT each others religious choices and not force any beliefs on anyone else. Respect, folks. Thats what it comes down to. Respect someone elses choice to NOT believe in YOUR religion.