Bible Benchmarks

            It seems that many of the issues in teaching the Bible in public schools stem from issues of proper teacher training, lack of funding for that training, and (intentional or not) teachers supporting their own beliefs and biases in class. While biases are unavoidable, many of the other issues that affect Bible teaching in schools are able to be remedied.

The Texas law on teaching the Bible states that a minor in religious or biblical studies is ideal for a Bible teacher, but the majority of the Texas teachers in Chancey’s study had done no coursework in the fields.  Regardless of how smart, devoted, or skilled a teacher is, having them try to teach a class in a subject that they have no experience in will not end well.  This applies to all fields of teaching but is especially important in this case.  Since there is no state funding for public school teachers to receive training for the subject of Bible studies, there is no chance for them to learn how to go about the rather delicate task of educating children and avoiding personal influence. Also due to this lack of funding and training, there are no real benchmarks that teachers must meet in order to qualify to teach the courses. This makes it all the more important for school districts to hire and maintain teachers who do have the knowledge and training necessary, or not offer the class if it is going to be taught improperly.

Public schools face significant issues in regards to proper teaching, funding, and training in all subjects, but Bible courses in particular are vulnerable.  Because of the total lack of state funding, and the issues of bias and teachers’ personal beliefs, students enrolled in bible courses may find themselves receiving less than what they bargained for.