Texas school board adds Bible class

[_TJ_]

Texas school board adds Bible class

April 27, 2005 | Odessa, Texas

The school board in this West Texas town voted unanimously to add a Bible class to its high school curriculum.

Hundreds of people, most of them supporters of the proposal, packed the board meeting Tuesday night. More than 6,000 Odessa residents had signed a petition supporting the class.

Some residents, however, said the school board acted too quickly. Others said they feared a national constitutional fight.

Barring any hurdles, the class should be added to the curriculum in fall 2006 and taught as a history or literature course. The school board still must develop a curriculum, which board member Floy Hinson said should be open for public review.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2005/04/27/bible_wire/

[Pacifist Patriot]

1. Tough call. Depending upon the syllabus this could actually be

a very valuable class. The Bible has a tremendous influence upon our culture. It's definitely a tightrope walk for the teacher. I read the TaoTeChing in high school and had a comparative religion course taught by a Buddhist. Didn't convert me.

Like it or lump it, I cannot imagine a well-rounded education without knowledge of all major faith traditions...and their texts.

[phantom power]

2. If they really do teach it as a history and/or lit course, sounds good.

But will they?

[Tux]

3. IF they can teach it as literature

Then fine. However, being Texas, I doubt they can settle for that and try to force people into evangelical churches. I say leave those courses to colleges where students would be more mature to deal with the issues. If they really want Bible study, why can't they do it at a church?

[Bellamia]

5. Not in my neighborhood...........

"Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate." Ulysses S. Grant, a long time ago! Notice he said PRIVATE school, not one supported by tax dollars.

[barbaraann]

4. They should use this website in the class.

http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/

[Ian David]

9. Skeptic's Annotated Bible is one of my favorite sites

It would also useful for non-skeptics as well.

[Bridget Burke]

6. The National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools....

Is one of the more rational fronts of the Dominionists. Check out their Links page to see where they're coming from:

www.bibleinschools.net/sdm.asp?pg=links

Creationist groups & other "family values" types. Elsewhere on the website, you can read their claim that the Bible is the source of all that is good in America.

They are eager to name-drop Leonardo & Handel, but how many schools that have cut art & music will now add this propagandistic crap to the curriculum? Not to mention that Texas schools have been "teaching to the test" for some time now.

Edited to add: Not all Christians interpret the Bible the same; in fact, not all read the same version. Will the classes allow for discussion of diverging views? Will young skeptics be allowed to take the class to give their viewpoint?

[Moderator]

7. _TJ_

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[HamdenRice]

Boy would I LOVE to teach that course in Texas ...

I would use the best biblical and historical scholarship to show how the bible was written over hundreds of years by people with particular agendas, transcribed and translated and mistranslated, etc until not a single student could credibly claim that the bible is the inspired word of god.

[HamdenRice]

8. dupe deleted