Archive for Saturday, March 19, 2005
Anne Barounos: No to Bible class
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In reading the recent Steamboat Today articles and opinions about the possible introduction of a Bible class into Steamboat Springs public schools, I find myself with highly mixed feelings.
On the one hand, I completely agree that the Bible is a fascinating and important piece of literature, whose influence on Western civilization and history is immeasurable. That influence is something that our graduating high school students should understand, from a historical, literary and legal viewpoint.
On the other hand, I feel firmly that our public schools are not the appropriate venue to introduce any one particular religious document, to the exclusion of other religious texts.
America is a great country precisely because we welcome all people and all faiths. From the reporting in your newspaper, it would seem that the specific course being promoted by the Steamboat parents you interviewed, is not the course our Steamboat students deserve. I would suggest that, if the consensus of the community is to offer a Bible or religion course to our students, then a course should be developed that introduces several major world religions, their respective sacred texts, compares and contrasts the moral lessons of those religions, and explains the historical, literary and legal effect of each -- a tall order, perhaps, but one in keeping with excellent public school curriculum that we must continue to strive to offer.
Anne Barounos
Steamboat Springs
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