Majority of Texas school Bible courses take a devotional and sectarian approach

According to a study by the Texas Freedom Network (TFN), the majority of public schools in Texas that offer Bible courses do not teach about the Bible in a historical or literary context as required under state law, but rather take a devotional and sectarian approach. The TFN report charges that most courses promote one faith perspective over others and push an ideological agenda hostile to religious freedom, science, and public education. "We stand with parents who believe that the Bible is a great way to teach students about the importance of religion in history and literature," says TFN President Kathy Miller. "But we think pressure groups have hijacked a good idea and the end result is that these courses can betray families' faith in our public schools by teaching courses with a narrow religious perspective above all others." According to Debbie Ratcliffe, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency, the agency does not know which districts offer Bible electives and does not monitor content. She notes that Texas schools can offer Bible courses only as electives and must avoid proselytizing.