Is Idaho Banning the Bible?

by Bob Unruh, WorldNetDaily

BOISE, ID - The Alliance Defense Fund has filed a notice of appeal with the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals of a trial court's affirmation of an Idaho state agency decision that it could ban any book, including the Bible, it determined to be "religious."

"Censoring classical books, including religious books, does not improve a student's education; it harms it," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman of the filing this week. "A wholesale ban on books with religious content conflicts with established US Supreme Court precedent stating that even 'the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion or the like.'"

The dispute centers on curriculum plans adopted by Nampa Classical Academy, which was preparing for its instruction of more than 500 students. Officials obtained approval from the state board of education in 2008 and then followed up with positive responses from the Public Charter School Commission as it developed its standards and curriculum.

Then, last year, the state commission suddenly raised objections and prohibited the academy from using any "religious documents and text" in its curriculum or in its classrooms, even if used objectively as a resource.

State officials threatened they would not allow the academy to open if school officials used the Bible or other religious texts on their classroom resource list.

The ADF sued, but Judge Ed Lodge dismissed the complaint, ruling that the commission members "have control over the content of the curriculum."

His ruling came "despite the fact that numerous public schools throughout the state and country constitutionally allow the objective study of the Bible as an education resource," the ADF said.

"Nampa Classical Academy is endeavoring to exercise its right to provide the best possible education for its students and has decided to include the Bible, along with dozens of other religious and secular writings, as resources in its curriculum to enrich instruction of literature, history and culture, among other topics," Cortman explained. "Schools have been doing this throughout American history."

He explained that, contrary to the ruling from the court, the local school district is assigned by law to make the determination on implementation of the state's curriculum standards.

He said if the commission's misinterpretation of the law is allowed to stand, all Idaho public-school and university students will be subject to the ban.

"And the curriculum [the academy] chose, in this case, is fully within what the US Supreme Court has stated is acceptable and constitutional," Cortman said. "On these grounds alone, we trust the decision will be reversed on appeal."

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