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the Bible's impact on our country.?The measure, by the way, is non-binding so schools can do with it as they see fit.
• To be honest, we didn't pay a lot of attention when this issue was being discussed in the Legislature. But our concerns then were the same as they are now. First, why waste time with discussing, voting on and ultimately passing a non-binding resolution about anything, including teaching about the Bible in the classroom? If districts are free to ignore it then what's the point of having the state involved in the issue at all??We always thought the whole point of legislation was to either approve or deny something. A non-binding resolution is somewhere in between and at best is wishy-washy. In effect it says you can either do something or not -- it's up to you.
• Officials with the state education department said each school district will be left to make its own decision on whether to add an elective Bible course and, if so, what text and curriculum to use. The Associated School Boards of South Dakota, a group that represents the local school districts, is making no recommendation to districts on whether to adopt such curriculum.
• The ironic thing, however, is whether or not the Bible winds up in classrooms may be decided more by factors other than religious conviction. Yankton Superintendent Joseph Gertsema said teachers there already refer to the Bible when it's key to understanding history, art and literature. Superintendents in other districts have said the Legislature's non-binding resolution won't change how their schools treat the issue, citing a lack of money to add a separate course and the difficulty in crafting one that would avoid controversy.?So if the Bible is already being discussed in the classroom when necessary, and if money is the deciding issue whether a district adds an elective class to discuss the Bible or any other subject, why does the Legislature need to be involved?
• It's another one of those things that lawmakers do from time to time that make you wonder if they don't have anything better to do during the session.
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