Course on Bible as literature will be offered at two Chino Valley high schools
Author: Neil Nisperos , Staff Writer
CHINO - An elective course on the Bible as history and literature will be offered at two Chino Valley high schools starting later this month.
The Board of Education on Thursday approved the textbook for the class amid applause from members of the congregation from Calvary Chapel Chino Hills who attended the meeting.
Calvary Chapel members have pledged to pay for all of the textbooks for the course and already collected donations amounting to $15,000 to be turned over to the district, Calvary Chapel Pastor Jack Hibbs said.
The Board of Education on Thursday approved the textbook for the class amid applause from members of the congregation from Calvary Chapel Chino Hills who attended the meeting.
Calvary Chapel members have pledged to pay for all of the textbooks for the course and already collected donations amounting to $15,000 to be turned over to the district, Calvary Chapel Pastor Jack Hibbs said.
Neil Nisperos/ Staff
The textbook, "The Bible and It's Influence," covers English translations of the Bible, including the King James version, and discusses the Bible's importance in literature and history.
Similar public school courses in the United States have generated controversy and debate as some people consider such curriculum in public schools as a violation of the separation of church and state.
Resident David Tennies, who has served on various school district fiscal oversight committees, said he fears potential litigation for the Chino Valley Unified, even as it deals with a $30 million deficit challenge in the coming year.
"I believe this has a huge liability potential for the district," Tennies said.
"Much like many of the decisions the district has made in the past, this brings negative attention to the district. It appears the district is trying to circumvent the provision of the Constitution regarding separations of church and state."
Calvary Chapel Pastor Jack Hibbs, who was emphatic in his support of the new class, said the Bible warrants academic study because it's been an important foundation for American history.
"We've got to remember, we're not actually bringing the Bible into class, this is a curriculum book on literature and history," Hibbs said.
"It doesn't teach the doctrines of Christianity like a Bible class would, so we want to be careful what we say. Wherever the Bible is and wherever people are introduced to the concept of God, morality increases, the value of life increases, women's rights are elevated and there's been a historical plus regarding the doctrines, the teachings and the influence of the Bible wherever it has been introduced. We're very excited."
Calvary Chapel member Kim Yergensen said she also supports the course.
"The Bible is where we get our laws and where we get our difference between good and evil," Yergensen said. "Children need to be taught that at an early age and on through life."
Joe Conn, a spokesman for the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, said it was perfectly fine for public schools to teach about religion as long as teachers were doing it from an academic perspective that doesn't favor one religious approach over another.
"It's always a little suspicious to me when a church group comes in and demands that a class like this be taught because you get the idea that they are promoting their own religion rather than promoting academic study," Conn said.
Superintendent Wayne Joseph, a literature major in college, defended the course and cited the numerous works of literature that reference Biblical passages, such as those by Shakespeare, Melville, Steinbeck and Falkner.
Detractors should note the course is an elective for 12th grade seniors who would be "at a maturity level where they could get the most benefit from the course," Joseph said. The district would work to make sure "we don't have teachers who are proselytizing religion, but conversely we don't have teachers who are debunking or debasing the Bible.
"If the teachers teach this correctly, there will be no problem," Joseph said. "I want to make sure my (high school principals) pick the right kind of teachers to implement this course."
District spokeswoman Julie Gobin said pilot classes are set for Chino and Chino Hills high schools later this month, with an expansion to Don Lugo and Ayala high schools as the district finds more interest.
Enrollment figures for the classes have yet to be determined, Gobin said, although Hibbs expressed confidence in blockbuster attendance.
"It's going to be an overwhelming class," he said. "They're not going to have enough room in the classrooms for it."
Similar public school courses in the United States have generated controversy and debate as some people consider such curriculum in public schools as a violation of the separation of church and state.
Resident David Tennies, who has served on various school district fiscal oversight committees, said he fears potential litigation for the Chino Valley Unified, even as it deals with a $30 million deficit challenge in the coming year.
"I believe this has a huge liability potential for the district," Tennies said.
"Much like many of the decisions the district has made in the past, this brings negative attention to the district. It appears the district is trying to circumvent the provision of the Constitution regarding separations of church and state."
Calvary Chapel Pastor Jack Hibbs, who was emphatic in his support of the new class, said the Bible warrants academic study because it's been an important foundation for American history.
"We've got to remember, we're not actually bringing the Bible into class, this is a curriculum book on literature and history," Hibbs said.
"It doesn't teach the doctrines of Christianity like a Bible class would, so we want to be careful what we say. Wherever the Bible is and wherever people are introduced to the concept of God, morality increases, the value of life increases, women's rights are elevated and there's been a historical plus regarding the doctrines, the teachings and the influence of the Bible wherever it has been introduced. We're very excited."
Calvary Chapel member Kim Yergensen said she also supports the course.
"The Bible is where we get our laws and where we get our difference between good and evil," Yergensen said. "Children need to be taught that at an early age and on through life."
Joe Conn, a spokesman for the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, said it was perfectly fine for public schools to teach about religion as long as teachers were doing it from an academic perspective that doesn't favor one religious approach over another.
"It's always a little suspicious to me when a church group comes in and demands that a class like this be taught because you get the idea that they are promoting their own religion rather than promoting academic study," Conn said.
Superintendent Wayne Joseph, a literature major in college, defended the course and cited the numerous works of literature that reference Biblical passages, such as those by Shakespeare, Melville, Steinbeck and Falkner.
Detractors should note the course is an elective for 12th grade seniors who would be "at a maturity level where they could get the most benefit from the course," Joseph said. The district would work to make sure "we don't have teachers who are proselytizing religion, but conversely we don't have teachers who are debunking or debasing the Bible.
"If the teachers teach this correctly, there will be no problem," Joseph said. "I want to make sure my (high school principals) pick the right kind of teachers to implement this course."
District spokeswoman Julie Gobin said pilot classes are set for Chino and Chino Hills high schools later this month, with an expansion to Don Lugo and Ayala high schools as the district finds more interest.
Enrollment figures for the classes have yet to be determined, Gobin said, although Hibbs expressed confidence in blockbuster attendance.
"It's going to be an overwhelming class," he said. "They're not going to have enough room in the classrooms for it."
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