An attorney for the Duncan Public Schools in Oklahoma has responded to a letter from the American Humanist Association about an elementary school teacher who handed out Bibles to her class during Easter week. They say it won’t happen again — kind of.
Duncan Public Schools responded on Friday with assurances that school staff would abide by federal law.
“The District understand that it has an obligation to follow the law set forth by our federal courts on this matter,” attorney Scott Stone explained. “The District understand that its obligation to obey the law exists whether the District or its employees agree with all aspects of the constitutional law established by the courts.”
To that end, Stone said that teachers were being informed that they could not distribute or pressure students to take Bibles or other religious material. And that teachers were not allowed to discourage or encourage any religious beliefs while in the performance of their duties.
“The District and its agents will refrain from leading, authorizing or condoning the distribution of Bibles or other religious material at any elementary school during school hours, or immediately before or immediately after school hours,” Stone insisted.
But here’s the catch. For some reason, they think they might be able to get away with this at higher grade levels:
However, the district reserves the right to allow such distribution of Bibles or other religious materials insofar as it concerns secondary students.
Wrong answer. It is illegal in any public school at any grade.
