Use of “Bible as Elective” Curriculum Expanding Across U.S.

by Rusty Pugh and Jody Brown

(AgapePress) – The legal arm of the American Family Association says it will continue to defend school districts that choose to offer elective Bible courses.

In response to a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Louisiana State Board of Education has ruled that school districts may continue to use their discretion in offering courses that teach the Bible's place in history and literature. Steve Crampton is chief counsel for the AFA Center for Law & Policy, which represents the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools — the group that sponsors the courses. Crampton says the teaching of these courses is perfectly constitutional.

“As you would expect, [this Bible curriculum] is greatly detested by groups like People for the American Way and the ACLU,” Crampton says. “So rather than challenge the program head-on in court, they will attack at the school board level and at the state legislative level — and that's what was going on here. The state school board in Louisiana was considering the curriculum and actually considering taking steps to limit the use of these curricula in the local schools.”

Crampton says the Law Center contacted the Louisiana State Board of Education. “Our group sent a letter explaining that not only did we believe it was constitutional, but we stood 100% behind it and would represent the schools free of charge in the event of a constitutional challenge,” he says.

According to Crampton, the curriculum is now being taught in 32 states and 149 school districts. He says the Law Center has offered its services free of charge to any school district that is challenged on the teaching of Bible courses.

The National Council on Bible Curriculum, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, reports 90% of the nation's school districts that have been approached about the curriculum have adopted it. The group also distributes a video — It's Coming Back…and It's Our Constitutional Right — that features, among others, David Barton of Wallbuilders Ministry, Dr. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries, Christian singer Carman, and well-known actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

(This update courtesy of Agape Press.)