Education

Bible Allowed Back Into Kentucky Schools

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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The Bible is welcome again in Kentucky public schools. Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin approved legislation on Tuesday that authorizes the teaching of Bible courses in public schools.

According to WDRB-TV under the legislation, local school boards, if they choose to do so, can develop courses for students that explain how the Bible has been an integral part of American history. Students would have the option of taking the class.

“The idea that we would not want this to be an option for people in school, that would be crazy. I don’t know why every state would not embrace this, why we as a nation would not embrace this,” said Bevin while attending an event in the Capitol Rotunda.

State Republican Rep. D.J. Johnson was the bill’s sponsor. Johnson said it is impossible to ignore the impact of the Bible on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and American law.

The legislation encountered no difficulties in either the Kentucky House or Senate.

The American Civil Liberties Union expressed concern over how the Bible study courses would be offered to students.

“A Bible literacy bill that, on its face, may not appear to be unconstitutional, could in fact become unconstitutional in its implementation,” ACLU advocacy director Kate Miller told WDRB-TV. “We want to make sure that teachers can Bible Allowed Back Into Kentucky Schoolsteach and make sure that they don’t go in to preach.”

Johnson assuaged concerns over any “constitutional issues,” saying great care will be taken in the promulgation of the curriculum. The bill is officially law on Friday.

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