"Bible Class" Bill Looks Like It Will Pass House

A few weeks ago, Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) introduced a really bad bill in the Texas legislature. It was nothing less than a naked power play to force the christian religion into our public schools. Obviously, Chisum doesn't believe in the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the separation of church and state.

Instead, Chisum believes our public schools are the perfect place to proselytize for his own religious beliefs. His original bill would have forced all Texas public high schools to teach a course on the Bible. The bill also said the only textbook would be the Bible, and no teacher training would be neccessary for those teaching the course. Chisum's bill would have created the perfect opportunity to teach religion in our public schools.

The bill is still alive, and it looks like it will pass the House on Wednesday. Fortunately, other House members have cleaned the bill up a little. I believe it's still a bad bill, but it's not nearly as bad a bill as the one originally introduced by Chisum.

Now, instead of forcing all Texas high schools to teach the class, the class is now optional. It will be up to each individual school whether to offer the class or not. The bill also lays out curriculum requirements, mandates the teachers be trained, and requires an additional textbook other than the Bible.

Maybe now the class will truly be a course on Biblical history and literature, and not just another attempt by the religious right to teach religion in our public schools.

The Texas Freedom Network, which supports the separation of church and state, likes the changes in the bill. TFN's president Kathy Miller said, "Public schools are not Sunday schools, and most people get nervous when government gets too involved in religion. The safeguards in this bill protect the right of families and clergy, not the government, to tell our schoolchildren what to believe about the Bible."

I think the bill should still be defeated, but at least it's not the same piece of garbage originally introduced by Chisum. I wish the people in Chisum's district would come to their senses and realize what an embarrassment he is to the entire panhandle.