Today, President Donald Trump tweeted the following:
Numerous states introducing Bible Literacy classes, giving students the option of studying the Bible. Starting to make a turn back? Great!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2019
My first reaction was this cannot be constitutional. A little research led me to The Bible Literacy Project, which publishes a textbook titled The Bible and Its Influence. (This textbook was launched in 2005, a decade before Trump took office.) According to The Bible Literacy Project, this is the only First Amendment-safe textbook currently on the market.
Justification for Biblical literacy is that understanding the stories and characters of the Bible may contribute to an enhanced understanding of literature, history, music and art.
According to Finding Common Ground: A First Amendment Guide to Religion and Public Schools, teaching about religion incorporates the following concepts:
- The school’s approach to religion is academic, not devotional.
- The school may strive for student awareness of religions, but should not press for student acceptance of any one religion.
- The school may sponsor study about religion, but may not sponsor the practice of religion.
- The school may expose students to a diversity of religious views, but may not impose any
particular view. - The school may educate about all religions, but may not promote or denigrate any religion.
- The school may inform the student about various beliefs, but should not seek to conform him or her to any particular belief.
The Biblical Literacy Project notes that the teaching of the Bible in public schools has been upheld by the Supreme Court as long as the curriculum is objective and part of a secular program.