More Education Plays

Much of the great literature studied today was written in times when the general population was expected to have a firm understanding of the Bible's teachings. Works such as Heart of Darkness, The Grapes of Wrath, Lord of the Flies, and To Kill A Mockingbird are all rife with biblical allusions -- and there are more than 1,300 documented references in Shakespeare alone. Yet, in the decades-long struggle over political correctness and church/state separation, the Bible has been shut out of the public classroom. This breeds a lack of biblical familiarity that can impede a thorough understanding of literature and history and can seriously limit a student's potential for success in high school English. We are raising a generation of students who have not been exposed to the academic value of the Bible and, as a result, are suffering in literature classes and on standardized exams.

Confusion over the constitutionality of teaching the Bible in public schools has scared teachers and lawmakers away from the subject. However, the same 1963 Supreme Court ruling that prevents public schools from requiring devotional use of the Bible also explicitly confirms that academic study of the Bible is indeed constitutional. The distinguishing factor is objectivity: Indoctrination is prohibited, but education ought to be encouraged.

In two Southern states, Democratic legislators are promoting an idea that reconciles constitutional protections with the sound public aim of making sure school children understand this country's religious heritage.

"The history of our country was significantly influenced and intertwined with the Bible. Having a high-quality course enhances teaching and learning, especially the study of literature and history." -- State Senator Kasim Reed, Georgia

Alabama House Majority Leader Ken Guin (supported by House Speaker Seth Hammett) and Georgia State Sen. Kasim Reed (in conjunction with fellow senators Tim Golden, Doug Stoner, and J.B. Powell) have sponsored legislation authorizing public high schools to teach an elective academic study of the Bible and its influence on art, literature, music, culture, and politics.

Guin and Reed proposed the use of a new text, The Bible and Its Influence, to give teachers and school districts clear guidelines for a nonsectarian, nonreligious academic examination of the Bible in literature, art, and history. The book, a product of the nonpartisan, ecumenical Bible Literacy Project, exposes students to many different interpretations of biblical passages and acknowledges both the positive and negative uses of the Bible throughout history. It is the result of a thorough and intense editing process, having filtered through the hands of 40 reviewers. This group of academics, teachers, and religious scholars worked with the clear goal of producing a strictly objective, educational, and nonreligious book. The text is designed specifically as a student guide and the primary goal of the course is described as "basic biblical literacy -- a grasp of the language, major narratives, symbols, and characters of the Bible." In only its second year of availability, The Bible and Its Influence is taught in 174 schools in 37 states.

Legislation authorizing academic study of the Bible in the public high school curriculum is both good policy and good politics. Such legislation will not only provide students with a distinct educational advantage, but will offer Democrats the opportunity to talk to voters about their faith and values.

Resources for Action

The Bible Literacy Project
www.bibleliteracy.org

Additional Reading

New Dems of the Week: Ken Guin & Kasim Reed
www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=253750&kaid=104&subid=115

Democrats in 2 Southern States Push Bills on Bible Study
www.bibleliteracy.org/Site/News/bibl_news060127NYT.htm

Public Schools Looking at Bible Literacy Class
www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-01-24-bible-elective_x.htm

Contacts

Elizabeth Walker
Office of Representative Ken Guin
Alabama House of Representatives
PO Box 470
Carbon Hill, AL 35549
(334) 353-3090