The Bible in State Academic Standards
There is a common misconception that teaching about the Bible and Christianity is not allowed in public school classrooms because of concerns over the establishment of religion. As The Bible in State Academic Standards shows, quite to the contrary, state academic standards across the nation provide ample opportunity for educators to teach about the Bible, Christian beliefs, and Christians who were influential in history. For example, California sixth graders are expected to:
“Note the origins of Christianity in the Jewish Messianic prophecies, the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament, and the contribution of St. Paul the Apostle to the definition and spread of Christian beliefs (e.g., belief in the Trinity, resurrection, salvation).” (Standard 6.7.6, adopted in 1998 and reaffirmed in 2005)
We have reviewed every state’s academic standards. In our Summaries we include:
State academic standards related to the Bible and Christianity
The preambles to state constitutions that reference God because most states have an expectation that students will learn about their constitutions
State laws regarding freedom of religious expression
We will mail you our research after the form is submitted from the link above. In the meantime, please click on the image above to download an introduction explaining that state academic standards provide ample opportunity to teach about the influence of the Bible and Christianity.