A huge topic of debate running through the state of Texas right now is the inclusion of Bible stories and passages being included in the required reading curriculum in grades K-12. These would be in addition to required novel readings for secondary students, pairing them up with classic novels and other short stories, speeches, and informational texts.

On one hand, this feels like a pretty hard no. Ultimately, the separation of church and state does exist for a reason; not only that, why JUST the Bible when there are other religious texts out there?

Conversely, debaters should consider that the Bible is, at the most basic level, a book full of stories, many of which are alluded to in classic and modern novels, movies, TV shows, and music.

So what’s the right answer here?

Absolutely Not

Public schools are considered an “arm of the state” (Cornell College), and with that, are prohibited from establishing or promoting a religion. This ensures that there is no coercion towards a specific religion, and allows students from all religious and non-religious backgrounds to feel safe and welcome. Mandatory religious instruction is specifically not allowed.

By requiring Bible passages to be read in school, there has to be a specific line drawn in the sand: the reading, as well as the lessons and activities that follow, must stay secular.

As an English teacher myself, I feel I could very easily uphold this expectation in my classroom; however, it is evident that many teachers are unable to follow even the most basic rule of teaching (that is, don’t sleep with the students — yikes). Not only that, but everyday I hear of teachers sharing their political views and inappropriate personal opinions with students. What evidence do we have that all teachers can maintain this separation?

Moreover, why just the Bible? Why not the Quran? Bhagavad Gita? Tao Te Ching? If the point is to make academic, analytical or historical connections, students should be given diverse narratives to do so. Otherwise, how can one argue that the decision to use the Bible alone isn’t devotional?

There Is Academic Value, So Yes

Bouncing off the last point, it should be argued that there are a lot of allusions to Bible stories throughout classic and modern media: the fall from grace, David and Goliath, Judas, Adam and Eve, concepts like “The Chosen One” and “The Good Samaritan.” To truly understand the underlying themes of these allusions, students do need to know where they come from.

Reading these biblical stories does not have to be a religious experience. The texts can be read the same was as any other text that is read in an English class: through an analytical eye. What is the theme of the text? What was the author’s purpose for using specific language? How does the setting create a specific mood? How do the characters’ actions create a conflict and lead to a resolution?

In addition, the value of pairing these texts with other novels and short passages encourages a real synthesis of ideas, noting similar themes through different stories and writing styles.

Why can’t we do this kind of in-depth analysis using these stories? A professional English teacher will be able to do so without pushing any kind of religious narrative, and one who doesn’t should be reprimanded and/or moved to another subject (if their certification allows it). The bad choices of a few teachers should not take away from those who can maintain the separation and teach literature as what it is: literature.

In The End

It’s hard to have a real opinion these days on the political/religious spectrum. Ultimately, in my opinion, there is value in recognizing allusions to these biblical stories, and we should trust the professionalism of teachers to teach these stories with no affiliation to religion. Should they be “required” though? I don’t think so.

In the end, the real concern should be whether these required reading lists maintain a decent level of diversity (but that’s for another day).