A number of states including Florida North Dakota and West Virginia have introduced legislation this year pushing for public schools to offer classes on the Bible and now that idea has the backing of President Trump White House correspondent Mark irons reports good evening mark good evening Lauren during national Catholic schools week President Trump has tweeted his support for Bible classes in public school but would that be a church-state violation of the Constitution here’s what we found it has certainly constitutional to do so but the real trick is doing it well Ben Marcus with the Religious Freedom Center in Washington is expressing cautious support for the president’s position president Trump writes numerous states introducing Bible literacy classes giving students the option of studying the Bible starting to make it turn back great if you’re going to be teaching about the Bible you should do so in a way that doesn’t give the sense that you’re favoring one religion over another favoring religion over non-religion or vice versa Marcus has created these types of programs for public schools and he says they have value it’s important to know about sacred narratives and stories and figures in the Bible if you’re going to understand a lot of literature a lot of arts as a handful of states have introduced legislation attempting to introduce Bible literacy classes in public schools some groups are concerned this warning was issued to educators in Kentucky last year the ACLU Kentucky reminds students and parents that Bible literacy courses may not promote religion or a particular religious viewpoint test students on matters of religious faith nor be designed to instill religious life lessons this debate comes during national Catholic schools week but it’s also a great time for us to reflect on how privileged we are to be able to teach the Catholic faith every day and with there it’s in science class or math class or Spanish or even on the playground Jennifer Bigelow says faith based education has value beyond the classroom so I think we’re really growing future leaders of the church future leaders of our country and Catholic education really plays us a large part of that and Christian education has been in the national spotlight the vice president’s wife Karen pence was recently criticized for teaching art in a Christian school with traditional values the vice president told our Loren Ashburn that criticism of Christian education in America should stop I mean we have a rich tradition in America of Christian education and frankly religious education broadly defined we celebrated it’s the freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States state lawmakers say Bible classes would be optional and focus on the Bible’s historical significance still no bills have passed at this point Fox and Friends reported on this Monday morning just before President Trump sent his tweet of support Lauren White House correspondent mark irons thank you Mark
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