Bible Bill Specifically Names Unconstitutional Material

Bible Bill Specifically Names Unconstitutional Material
for Public School Students
Senate Bill 1338


In last week's Huffington Post there was an artilce reporting the Oklahoma Surpeme Court's displeasure with the Oklahoma Legilsture deliberate waste of tax money by passing blataltly unconstututional bills into law.

You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/yah7hzn

And so what does the Oklahoma Senate do the very next week? You guessed it! They kept on with their wasteral ways!

This is from Rob Abiera, an OKC activist:

I hereby strongly recommend to everyone who has any reservations about this
bill whatsoever: NOW is the time to contact your state representative and
let him or her know how you feel about this! This bill has made it through
the state senate and is now headed to the state house. Go to
http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/ to find your representative and their contact info. A phone call is quickest - email is the best bet for those of you who want to compose your thoughts before sending them off. Snail mail is the least timely option here.

I also recommend contacting House Speaker Chris Benge & it wouldn't hurt to
include Governor Henry as well - but your first priority should be your own
state representative.

As soon as I have information about committee assignments I will pass it
along.

Rob Abiera
[OKC activist]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=61&articleid=20100308_61_A13_Thepro257902

or http://tinyurl.com/ydzgq8h

Careful

by: World's Editorial Writers
Monday, March 08, 2010
3/8/2010 7:26:43 AM

The proposal to teach elective courses on the Bible in Oklahoma public
schools is another step closer. And the closer this gets to becoming law,
the more caution must be taken.

The Oklahoma Senate overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 1338 last week, 38-4.
That is no surprise. One has to wonder if the vote was an endorsement of
teaching the Bible as history and literature or a vote to not be branded as
anti-Bible come election day.

snip--

One part of the bill that is of great concern is the authorization of course
materials from the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools.
That organization claims that its curriculum is in 532 school districts in
38 states, serving more than 360,000 students.

A 2005 study out of Southern Methodist University found that the National
Council promotes a fundamentalist Protestant interpretation of the Bible,
often ignoring other beliefs such as those of Catholics, Jews and even
mainline Protestants. Critics claim that it teaches as historic truth the
stories of the Exodus, the flood, the destruction of the Tower of Babel and
the resurrection of Jesus.

There are other sources of course materials. One is the Bible Literacy
Project that sets strict guidelines. We hope the House takes a closer look
at alternative sources.

snip--

We share the concerns of the four Democrats who voted against the Senate
bill — Tom Adelson, Tulsa; Judy Eason McIntyre, Tulsa; Andrew Rice, Oklahoma
City; and Jim Wilson, Tahlequah. The Legislature and schools must guard
against any group seeing this as an opportunity to promote a religious
viewpoint in the public schools.

snip--

Copyright © 2010, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved