Interesting!  I did like the comment from the girl stating she wanted to learn more so that she could argue against christianity from an educated standpoint...then again, there are other forums (such as this one) where she can find the same information.  I have to agree that this seems like another tactic by xian fundies to  slither under a door that has been closed to them.  There are other ways to provide this information instead of using funds that would be better spent on other subjects.

Their argument centers around the bible being the most influential book in history but if the numbers quoted in the article are accurate ("only half of U.S. adults know the title of even one Gospel&quot, the bible doesn't seem to be as influential as they think. 

For some reason right now their mail is full and any e mail is returned.

I hate to sound paranoid, but I feel once this class is instituted that it will slowly change until it is indoctrination.  All you need is one clever and overzealous teacher to warp the idea of the class. 

The whole debate can be summarized by a single question within the article: "A BASIC QUESTION: WHY TEACH THE BIBLE and not comparative religion?"

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1601845-3,00.html

That exact question was throbbing in my mind as I read the whole article, but it was never answered. It sounds like the textbook is basically a pro-Bible tool used to further the agenda of the Church:

 "Joe Conn and Rob Boston of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have expressed a concern about how teachers willing to give the Bible secular treatment would be found, particularly in states where vast majorities are evangelical. They note that Stetson's history sections are almost exclusively positive. "A textbook should offer objective study about both the positive and negative uses of the Bible," Conn writes. "Where is the analysis of the role of the Bible in the Inquisition or the Salem witch trials?" They specifically question the tone of a final section, "Freedom and Faith in America," which omits the high court's school-secularization rulings and ends on a truly odd note: a Chinese social scientist attributing the "pre-eminence of the West" to the fact that the "heart of your culture is ... your Christianity.""

If they want to teach a class about religion, it needs to be taught comparatively and from a historical basis. A book like "A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam" by Karen Armstrong seems like an appropriate textbook for such a class.

http://www.amazon.com/History-God-000-Year-Judaism-Christianity/dp/0345384563

 But we all know that's not the kind of "Bible-class" they are looking to teach.

The more I view the typical school curriculum the more convinced I become that free thought and self reliance have absolutely no value in the American educational system.  I'd like to think that the bible could be taught as robbing humans of this.......but it won't be.

Whoever decides to respond, don't forget to mention these: 

Religion is a natural phenonemon which should be studied to inform our understanding of our own species ... Learning to comprehend the texts of religious traditions would only enhance our ability to rigorously study belief systems, esp. as they relate to socio-historical and contemporary social issues.

I went to a rigidly secular, libertarian secondary school and we studied the Bible because it is vitally important when looking at Western Civilization and American History ... I was lucky because my teachers tried to keep everyone engaged pedagogically, but also tried their best to remain objective ... the way we are pretty much totally objective when looking at Greek mythology for example.

I think we're all on the same page here - I'd just add, thought, that the Bible does get taught in many classrooms in this country, even in public schools ... You'd be surprise ...

I think Dawkins wanted the bible taught in schools, along with other religions as a way to learn what religion is about.  I believe I read something along those lines in The God Delusion.  Hmmm...can't remember.  Maybe it's time to read the book again.

With the US the way it is now, I have to admit to feeling a tad nervous about allowing any Christian content into the classroom.  Like you said: there are too many nutbars out there.  They'd really throw a fit if facts about the bible were taught.  They throw a fit now about evolution.  As a result, our populace is completely uneducated on the topic.

I went to a catholic school. Due to being catholic they were allowed to force religion classes on us as they did from years 7-10. Years 8-10 we had a Jesuit Priest who was brilliant. He actually taught it as a class on religion. He gave us lessons from a point of view that encouraged us to learn and think critically not only about our own religion, but all religions out there. He taught us about them, the differences, the flaws, the good things, their histories etc. He was great. In fact, it was his encouragement of critical thinking in this arena that first made me start thinking critically on my own religion and eventually in year 10 to deny it. All this thanks to a jesuit priest!

For one semester in year 10, the headmaster of the school decided out of the blue he wanted to do more teaching and took over the class. It turned from an analysis of religion in general, to Sunday school. We still covered the topics in the syllabus but the style of teaching changed greatly. There was a notable difference in the attitudes of the rest of the kids in the class. No more questions and all answers had a pause while they thought "correct answer or the answer he wants?".


The point I'm getting to is that whether it starts off well or not, it will depend greatly on the teacher themself. Those in the bible belt will get what they've wanted for years and those who want to teach it properly as my jesuit priest teacher did will get criticised because in America it's more dangerous to be Atheist or teach Atheisticly than it is to in any other form of a minority. Having it taught properly will be a very rare thing indeed no matter how the syllabus is laid out.

I don't know if this is the sort of thing that middle or high-school teachers should be handling.  This seems more the realm of the Collegiate level literature classes which delve into the literature of certain cultures to show their impacts on modern literature and culture.  At least in my schools High-school Lit. was the place to learn the different styles of writing and gain advanced comprehension skills.

I personally will be happily reading the bible to my children (of course until I think their old enough for some of that smut, it's staying on the top shelves).  If I'm going to be reading fairy tales and myths from other cultures, why not read them the big fairy tails from ours?