Destinee Marking, Staff Writer
Photo by Julie Boeker/The News
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky has written a letter to the Kentucky Department of Education expressing concerns regarding new “Bible Literacy” classes.
When House Bill 128 was signed into law by Gov. Matt Bevin in June 2017, public schools in Kentucky gained the option to teach Bible courses.
According to the bill, the Kentucky Board of Education is required to promote administrative regulations that establish an elective social studies class on the Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament of the Bible, the New Testament or a combination. The courses exist to provide students with knowledge of biblical content, characters and poetry.
In the ACLU’s letter, sent Jan. 5, 2018, it is explained the organization sent records requests to every Kentucky school district requesting documentation on offered “Bible Literacy” courses.
“It appears that the vast majority of schools currently do not offer a ‘Bible Literacy’ course,” the letter states. “However, several schools do offer such classes – and there appear to be serious fundamental and constitutional issues with those courses.”
The letter includes descriptions of specific issues identified in four public school districts throughout the state.
McCracken County students were encouraged to read the Book of Philippians to learn about anxiety and coping skills. According to the letter, it is not constitutional for schools to use religious material to serve nonreligious interests.
Students in Barren County were to write a family member and attempt to persuade them to appreciate the faith and religious heritage found in an exhibit at the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center. According to the ACLU, this is considered proselytizing.
The ACLU found Letcher County Bible electives are taught using lessons and worksheets found on an online database called “Teen Sunday School Place.”
Students in Letcher County and McCracken County have been expected to memorize Bible verses for assignments and quizzes, but not to analyze the verses for deeper meaning and influence.
In Lewis County’s “Bible Literacy” class, the ACLU found that a teacher relied on her students to shape the course since the Kentucky Department of Education has not yet finalized standards for these courses.
“Religious education is best left to parents and churches, not school or government officials,” according the the ACLU. “Religion is a deeply personal matter, and families are in the best position to introduce their children to religious belief systems.”