[Vision2020] 06-09-04 CNN: Court upholds Bible class ban

Wed, 9 Jun 2004 08:08:37 -0700

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Court upholds Bible class ban
Tuesday, June 8, 2004 Posted: 1:12 PM EDT (1712 GMT)

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (AP) -- A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that
argued weekly Bible classes are unconstitutional in the public schools of Rhea
County, the same county where the "Scopes Monkey Trial" pitted creationists
against evolutionists 79 years ago.

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati
agreed Monday with a February 2002 ruling by U.S. District Judge R. Allan Edgar
of Chattanooga.

Edgar ruled that the Bible Education Ministry program in Rhea County violated
the First Amendment's clause calling for separation of church and state.

The 30-minute classes were held weekly for about 800 students in kindergarten
through fifth grade at the county's three elementary schools. Parental consent
was not required and students were allowed to participate in alternative
activities if they objected to the classes.

Rhea County superintendent Sue Porter said Monday that school board members
would likely discuss whether to appeal the latest ruling at their Thursday night
meeting. Bible classes had been offered in Rhea County for 51 years.

"I'm disappointed, not surprised though," Porter said.

The appeals judges ruled that although school officials contended that the
classes were value-driven, teaching responsibility and positive morals, they
were "also teaching the Bible as religious truth."

The county's city of Dayton, about 35 miles northwest of Chattanooga, is where
orator and presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and the lawyer Clarence
Darrow squared off in the courtroom during the 1925 prosecution of teacher John
T. Scopes for teaching evolution in the public schools instead of the biblical
story of creation.

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<P><B style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14px">CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (AP) -- A federal =
appeals=20
court has upheld a ruling that argued weekly Bible classes are =
unconstitutional=20
in the public schools of Rhea County, the same county where the "Scopes =
Monkey=20
Trial" pitted creationists against evolutionists 79 years ago.</B></P>
<P>A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in =
Cincinnati=20
agreed Monday with a February 2002 ruling by U.S. District Judge R. =
Allan Edgar=20
of Chattanooga.</P>
<P>Edgar ruled that the Bible Education Ministry program in Rhea County =
violated=20
the First Amendment's clause calling for separation of church and =
state.</P>
<P>The 30-minute classes were held weekly for about 800 students in =
kindergarten=20
through fifth grade at the county's three elementary schools. Parental =
consent=20
was not required and students were allowed to participate in alternative =

activities if they objected to the classes.
Rhea County superintendent Sue Porter said Monday that school board =
members=20
would likely discuss whether to appeal the latest ruling at their =
Thursday night=20
meeting. Bible classes had been offered in Rhea County for 51 years.
"I'm disappointed, not surprised though," Porter said.
The appeals judges ruled that although school officials contended =
that the=20
classes were value-driven, teaching responsibility and positive morals, =
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were "also teaching the Bible as religious truth."
The county's city of Dayton, about 35 miles northwest of Chattanooga, =
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where orator and presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and the =
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Clarence Darrow squared off in the courtroom during the 1925 prosecution =
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the biblical story of creation.</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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