West Virginia School District Taken to Court Over Bible Class
Two West Virginia residents have filed a case against the officials of a school district for agreeing to hold a Bible class in their school.
According to the lawsuit filed by two residents of Mercer County in West Virginia, the Bible study class held in Princeton Primary School is a violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause that prohibits the advancement of one religion over another.
The plaintiffs also argued that holding a Bible class "improperly entangles public schools in religious affairs, and violates the personal consciences of nonreligious and non-Christian parents and students."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
One of the complainants, Elizabeth Deal recalled how her daughter was left out and bullied when she did not join the Bible class. She noted that while other students attend the class, there were no options available for her daughter. She was subsequently forced to sit down in the computer room to read a book while others participate in the class.
Her daughter was also bullied when other students saw her reading a Harry Potter book instead of the Bible. She eventually transferred her child to a school outside West Virginia.
School officials, however, defended the Bible class, underscoring that it is not compulsory.
Courtney Tolliver, one of the school's teachers, argued that the class is not merely about religion.
"It's not teaching religion, but it teaches character and respect and how important it is to tell the truth," she said. "The kids love it and the ones who don't participate aren't made to feel left out."
First Baptist Church of Princeton, Rev. David Dockery, also affirmed that no students were forced to attend the Bible lessons.
"My experience with it has been very positive. I've never known of anyone who has been pressured or felt ostracized," he said. "Any time God's Word can be proclaimed is beneficial and is a good thing."
However, Lynne White, whose sons attended a public school in the county, does not agree. She accused the school staff of misleading the parents and students for passing the class as electives when "there is really no concept of an elective class in the early learning primary grades (grades one and two), early learning intermediate (grades three to five) or middle school (grades six to eight)."
The case is up for hearing at the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of West Virginia.
