[Vision2020] Boise Man Seeks to Put Bible Education in Idaho Schools

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (June 22, 2009) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Boise man seeks to put Bible education in Idaho schools
Petition supports ballot initiative allowing non-sectarian study of the Bible
By Halley Griffin, Daily News staff writer

Chuck Seldon is a man on a mission.

The Boise resident is working hard to bring Bible study back to public
schools in Idaho, in the form of elective history or literature classes.

"We have a year and a half to get 51,000 signatures, and then it goes on
the ballot and we've got the Bible back into the public schools," said
Seldon, 77, a retired educator and founder of Our Godly American Heritage,
a group working to bring Bible curriculum back into public schools.

He must gather at least 51,000 signatures from registered Idaho voters to
get the initiative on the 2010 general election ballot.

The initiative would add a section of Idaho Code authorizing school boards
to offer an elective Bible course in public secondary schools.

The proposed statute reads, "Recognizing that the United States Supreme
Court declared in Abington v. Schempp (1963) that '(t)he Bible is worth of
study for its literary and historic qualities' and that 'such study of the
Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as a part of a secular
program of education' is consistent with the First Amendment of the United
States Constitution, it shall be lawful for any local school board in
Idaho to allow for elective Bible course curricula to be approved and
offered in its public secondary schools."

The Idaho Constitution states that "no sectarian or religious tenets or
doctrines shall ever be taught in the public schools," but Seldon says the
proposed statute forbids the endorsement of sectarian or denominational
doctrine in the elective classes.

Seldon and his wife "left the public schools in 1973 because we didn't
like the direction they were going, and so we started setting up Christian
schools around the world," he said.

Seldon said he first heard of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in
Public Schools, another group pushing for Bible curriculum in public
schools, when he moved to Idaho to retire.

The group's Web site claims its Bible curriculum has been voted into 487
school districts in 38 states to date.

Seldon said he got very excited when he learned about the project and
decided to dedicate the rest of his life to the cause.

"There's hope for our public schools. The greatest book ever written, and
it's not in the public schools? It's amazing," he said.

University of Idaho student Kate Carlson said she supports Seldon's
project, and would willingly add her signature to the petition.

"I am Christian and I fully believe in religious education," she said.
"And not making people do it, but giving them the option. I definitely
think it would be a good thing."

Moscow resident Sharon Andres agreed.

"I think that would be great," she said. "They throw everything else at
the kids."

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Comments?

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown