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the Bible in public schools as long as the instruction is academic and not devotional, does not engage in religious practice, does not encourage or discourage differing religious views and does not ask students to conform to any religious belief.
• Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center, who wrote that guide, said South Dakota's resolution is better than those passed by most other states because it clearly urges teaching about the Bible in ways that conform to the First Amendment, which protects freedom of religion and prohibits government from establishing a religion.
• The U.S. Supreme Court in 1963 ruled that public schools can teach about the Bible in a non-religious fashion, Haynes said.
• The Bible is essential to understanding many works, from those of William

Shakespeare to painters and sculptors, Haynes said.
• "It is arguably the single most important book in Western history and Western civilization, the most influential book," Haynes said. "Students need to be literate on the Bible. They're lost without it."
• It's difficult to gauge what is going on in a lot of schools because inappropriate teaching doesn't come to light until someone complains about a course that may stray into promoting religion, Haynes said. Dis

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