aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Bible study in the classroom: I take it back
In two posts I said let’s try Bible study in the classroom. What’s happened to the bill in Georgia since then has made me aware of my naïveté and now I’m embarrassed by it; I regret my hopeful optimism.
Public high school students could learn about Jesus and study the Bible in state-funded courses under a bill approved 50-1 by state senators Friday. [...]
Senate Democrats - led by Tim Golden of Valdosta, Doug Stoner of Smyrna and Kasim Reed of Atlanta - introduced a bill early in the session that would have allowed the state Board of Education to add an elective academic course on the Bible’s influence on literature, art, music, culture and politics.
Sen. Tommie Williams, the Republican majority leader, grumbled that Democrats had stolen an idea he had been pushing for years. This week, Williams (R-Lyons) submitted a substitute bill requiring the state board to adopt two new high school electives: one on the history and literature of the Old Testament and one devoted to the history and literature of the New Testament. [...]
“You cannot ignore the political element of this type of legislation,” [former Republican legislator, now CEO of an Atlanta political media firm, Matt] Towery said. “Certainly, the Republicans would not want to [lose] a fundamental tenet of their platform with Democrats being the only ones offering legislation.”
Political maneuvering continued Friday as the full Senate considered Williams’ bill. Democrats, including Golden, Stoner and Reed, attempted to replace Williams’ bill with their version, which they said was better crafted to fit within constitutional guidelines. But when that amendment failed, they joined in passing the Republican measure with Sen. Regina Thomas (D-Savannah) dissenting.
It’s as if the Dems walked right into the trap. Clearly, once they offered up their bill, they could not then “vote against the Bible.” The measure now requires that schools use the Bible as the text. To which I still say, which Bible?
I applaud the Democratic efforts but yes, yes, yes, I get it now. The Religious Right does want their religion taught in the schools and will take nothing less. And, as with Intelligent Design where the truth behind the alleged science was revealed in court, this may well end up in court too. When it does, I won’t be supporting this bill because of its clear agenda.
Which means it all winds up as a meaningless gesture whereby politicians can make claims and suck-up to their constituents while accomplishing absolutely nothing.
