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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2006 > January > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBible classes for Georgia schools?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia public school students would be allowed to study the Bible under a plan proposed by Democrats in the state Senate Wednesday.
The bill authorizes the state school board to approve an optional course that would teach about the Bible’s influence on literature, art, culture and politics.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Tim Golden of Valdosta, chairman of the Senate’s Democratic caucus. Golden said it would allow for “nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study” of the Bible and would require it “be taught in an objective and nondevotional manner with no attempt made to indoctrinate students.”
Sen. Doug Stoner of Smyrna, a co-sponsor of the plan, said the Bible was a major influence on works from Shakespeare’s plays to the Reverend Martin Luther King.
Civil liberties activists say there are ways to teach the Bible in public school without violating the Constitution, but that such a class would create potential problems. Maggie Garrett, legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union’s chapter in Georgia, said even if the curriculum is carefully worded, a teacher could use the class as an opportunity to preach religious faith.
For more comments go to the “Chatter” blog entry of 1/19/2006
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By Rand Bohrer
January 19, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this
What Bible will be used? The Roman Catholic? Catholics are the most numerous nowadays. The Jewish? Its the oldest. Maybe the Protestants’ King James Version? Afterall, “God’s Robots” on TV say that all other versions are Satanic.
But shouldn’t we give some time to the books of other religions? The Torah, the Confucian Analects, the Kamasutra, the Koran — so many books, so little time. Maybe class time should be allocated proportionately to each holy book on the basis of the number of believers.
I’m sure that Tim Golden will be quite able to address these matters. Though I’m not sure how he will handle athiests and agnostics. Personally, I think Tom Paine’s Common Sense would be an excellent text to represent the nonbelievers of the world.
By RFSOsInRevolt
January 20, 2006 08:17 AM | Link to this
Doug Stoner is a co-sponsor of SB 377, proposed legislation that increases the immoral and illegal ban of Registered Former SEX OFFENDERS (RFSOs) in Georgia. Only people who are immoral and Godless support this banishment. As such, Stoner has no business even mentioning the word “Bible”. To find out more about the lies that legislators such as Stoner are telling Georgia citizens, e-mail me, read a bit more detail from me here or read this Denver Post article.