Facebook Post Misleads: Reading Bible in School Does Not Prevent Prison Sentences

Facebook Post Misleads: Reading Bible in School Does Not Prevent Prison Sentences

Commentary by Becky Tallent | FāVS News

Recently seen on Facebook posts:

“It is sad you can read the Bible in prison, but not in public school. Perhaps if we read in school, they would not be in prison.”

Frustratingly, this type of message is mixing apples and mangos, not to mention it completely misses some points.  

As a retired educator, I know not all students are of the same faith. In the U.S., there is freedom of religion. This means people have the right to worship — or not — as they choose. By demanding Bibles in school, it opens a complete can of worms that most parents would rather not face.

Whose Bible?

For example: My favorite question is “Whose Bible?” Is it the King James, which is rife with early 17th century British politics? Or the Anglican Bible, which accepts parts of the Jewish Bible along with the New Testament but eliminates 15 of the Old Testament books? Is it a study Bible, Roman Catholic, New Revised, the original Greek or any number of other Bibles? There are many different flavors of this book, depending on the translation.

Granted, most groups claim their book is “THE” best version and, therefore, the one that should be followed. But what happens when a child of one religious belief is confronted or bullied by a child of another religious groups because theirs is not the “right” Bible?

Children can be cruel, especially when challenged with ideas that are different than those they were taught at home.

As for religious actions in schools, that happens daily. I have students praying, especially before an exam. Students are allowed to read their Bibles at public schools. Schools cannot demand everyone read from the same book or insist that everyone listen to a reading.

Think of it this way: Would parents who argue for their children to read a Bible in school also be willing to argue the same for an Islamic student reading the Quran or a Wiccan student reading a book of spells?

The Schempp Case

More than 60 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down government sponsored coercive Bible reading in public schools in the case of the School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp (1963). In that case, high school student Ellery Schempp said every day the school began by readings from the King James Version and a Christian prayer.  

In the case, Schempp said being forced to listen to practices that did not reflect his own ideals was both uncomfortable and unconstitutional. The court agreed: No one should be forced to affirm a belief in a scripture or religious text if it is not their own. The justices noted that mandatory Bible readings violates the principle of religious freedom as not all faiths subscribe to the same ideals.

Prisoners Are Adults, Not Children

Returning to the Facebook posts, there is also a massive difference between a public school and a prison. Granted, many students may feel like school is a prison, but a true prison restricts the activities of a person who has been convicted of a crime.

Also, prisoners are generally adults, not children who can be easily swayed. An adult taking the time to read whatever they want is generally viewed as a pleasure where they select the subject. A child, on the other hand, has more restricted reading options, and their parents may not appreciate another form of Bible thrust upon them.  

You may ask: Did the Facebook post set me off down this particular bunny hole? No.

A Different Kind of Bible Study

Actually, I have reflected on this topic many times since my senior year of high school when one of our English teachers gained permission to teach the Bible as literature. Looking back, it was no small feat on his part.

Mr. Huff never got into theology, we only looked at characters and actions as we would examine any piece of literature. Among other things, he explained to us the use of Jewish humor in the Old Testament and some use of mysticism in parts of the New Testament.  

The key elements in the class were (1) using a study Bible with academic footnotes, (2) not delving into theology and (3) the class was an elective with parental permission restricted to advanced English students.

So, returning again to the Facebook posts — Yes, students can still read their Bibles at public schools as long as they do not force anyone else to read it with them. And no, there is a big difference between incarcerated adults and children, you cannot mix those images to promote an ideal. 

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.