Editorials

You may recall that in 2006 a bill was introduced in the Alabama Legislature that would make The Bible and Its Influence the required textbook in all of the state's public high schools that taught a course on the Bible. Controversy followed.

The issue was not whether "Bible" should be offered as an elective course in our schools; that has been done for some time. Nor was there much discussion, at least among legislators, over whether or not politicians should be picking textbooks — although we felt they shouldn't.

The controversy arose over whether the book itself — this particular text, with its particular emphasis and point of view — should be on the list of books "approved" for public schools.

The bill was defeated. The following year, it was reintroduced but did not come up for a vote. Most people likely thought the controversy was over, that it would be left to the state Board of Education to decide what to approve.

Apparently, that's not the case.

The Alabama Baptist, the official organ of the state's largest Protestant denomination, noted last week that when the state board met to approve the 5,000 or so texts and materials recommended for classroom use, The Bible and Its Influence was on the list. Asking about this, The Alabama Baptist discovered that at least one member of the board was not aware that there were "concerns" about the book's content.

We could note here that this is just another example of why we need two school boards — one for K-12 and another for the two-year schools — for if there were two then board members might have the time to keep up-to-date on matters like this. However, since we do not know if the unnamed board member is overworked or just negligent, we cannot be sure if a two-board system would help in this case.

What is noteworthy, however, is the difficulty this board faces when it is asked to approve texts that deal with subjects about which citizens feel strongly. Religion certainly is one of those subjects.

Diversity always has been at the heart of religious liberty in America. We are free to believe different things and the state — either through a Legislature or a Board of Education — has no right to tell us otherwise. At the same time, one denomination does not have the right to impose its views on another.

All textbook publishers edit their products' content to meet market demands. But if publishers also edit to conform to a particular theological perspective, they are going beyond what marketing requires and moving into the area where church and state should not mix.

If the Alabama Board of Education wants to put a textbook on its "approved" list, it is appropriate for it to do so. And if local schools and school systems feel a book is appropriate for their students, they should buy it.

However, to demand that a textbook publisher edit books to fit a particular religious interpretation is not appropriate.

That crosses a constitutional line we should not cross.

Editor's Note: This editorial was corrected online on Oct. 31, 2007, and a correction was published in the Nov. 1, 2007, print editions of The Star. Below is the correction:

For The Record

A quotation in a Star editorial Wednesday concerning the Bible literacy textbook to be used in Alabama schools was incorrectly attributed to Stephanie Bell, member of the Alabama State Board of Education.

The quotation should have been attributed to Eunie Smith, president of Eagle Forum of Alabama. Smith said the textbook "needs more revisions if it is to reach the high view of Scripture under which Alabama Baptists would want their children taught."

The Star regrets the error.