North Carolina Elementary Schools Under Fire For Bible Classes: Unconstitutional?
The Rowan-Salisbury School District is currently under scrutiny for their elementary school Bible classes. According to WBTV, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is making a gratuitous effort to have the school district’s Bible classes halted immediately. The organization sees the religious teachings as “unconstitutional.”
On September 24, the FRFF’s Staff Attorney, Patrick Elliott, sent an official letter to the school district’s superintendent. The alleged complaint letter discusses the basis of the classes. The Bible classes are reportedly held in at least three of the district’s schools, specifically naming the Cleveland, Woodleaf, and Mount Ulla Elementary schools.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-founder at the Freedom From Religion Foundation, shared her sentiments of the classes with WSOC-TV. She reiterated the organization’s views of religious indoctrination in public schools. She expressed why such teachings did not belong in the same sector as secular education. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but she feels religious teachings such be strictly for Sunday School.
“Children are being sent to our public schools for a secular education and religious indoctrination should be at the behest of parents who can privately send their children to Sunday School,” Gaylor said.
Elliot also weighed in with his perspective of the classes. He reportedly feels the Bible classes would take up valuable time that could be spent furthering the students’ academic education. Here’s what he had to say.
“It is appalling that the District would take away from instructional time to indoctrinate children in Christian dogma. [T]he district’s ill-advised decision to offer elementary bible classes calls into question the legitimacy of the bible classes also being taught in the middle schools and high school.”
As of Thursday, October 2, the Rowan Salisbury School District has not issued an official statement in response to the FRFF’s complaint. However, a spokeswoman for the district did inform WSOC-TV that the district is working to gather information in reference to the situation and complaint.
Do you feel Bible classes in public schools are unconstitutional? Share your thoughts.
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