Over a year has passed since a new law took effect that allows school districts and public charter schools to offer elective courses on the Bible. Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, sponsored the bill last year because she views the Christian Bible as historical text.
She told Missourinet that the biblical Old and New Testaments give a broad perspective on human society.
“Their attempts to start governments,” she said. “Their failures at starting governments. How people reacted to change. It gives a broad context into languages, and it has been substantiated, historically, by scientists, and everybody else throughout the world.”
The ACLU of Missouri told the Kansas City Star last year that courses focusing on one faith “create conditions ripe for proselytizing and official promotion of religious beliefs.”
May came up with the idea when she took courses on world religions at St. Louis University.
“I thought that was amazing coming from a Jesuit institution,” May said. “But I understood it as saying that ‘hey, I’m not going to limit your knowledge, I’m going to give you a broad knowledge in order for you to make an informed decision.’ For me that was powerful.”
Under the bill, the courses can include a study on the history, literary style, structure, and influences on society.
“If you got a group of students who are interested in learning it, they can take it as an elective,” she explained. “So, if they get, you know, enough students that want to do it, they’ll get an instructor to go ahead and teach it. You get me? Or they can offer it as an elective and put it on their elective list and then students are able to choose it.”
There is no requirement on which text translation students can use. Under the law, any course offered cannot endorse, favor, promote, or show hostility to any particular religion.
It’s not known how many Missouri school districts are using this as part of their curriculum.
Click here for more information.
© 2024, Missourinet.