Bible Reading: Okay for Jails but not Schools?

Stack of Bibles
Stack of Bibles

Bible Reading: Is it okay to ban them from schools, yet allow them in jails or prisons?

I want to write about a topic that has some attention today. It is a debate about not being allowed to read the Bible in school. Parents are calling children’s parents and making them stop or banning them from reading them at school, even on their own free time. Something similar that occurred with the the Rubeo Family in Broward County School District in Florida.[1]/[2]

However, it is okay and encouraged to read them in the jails or prisons. Yes, they need to read them, most of them change their lives while behind in bars. But, by time they are in bars, it could be too late for them and society.

I believe as Americans and as Christians we have a right to read our Bible anywhere and everywhere we want. We as Christians need to stand up for our freedom of religion rights to be able to read where we want, including our public school systems. I honestly believe if we allowed reading of the Bible in schools, we wouldn’t have a need for our prisoners to be needing to read them then. Start while they are young and I am sure by the time they are older they won’t even be in the prison system. The Bible teaches us standards. It also teaches us how to live our daily lives.

Check this out ….

The ACLU has always defended students’ right to pray individually and voluntarily in school as long as they do not disrupt regular school activities. For example, students may be allowed to read their Bibles on the school bus or pray together before lunch; however, they may not force other students to read along or listen. We also have de-fended the Free Exercise rights of students of many faiths when government officials have interfered with their reli-gious freedom. To cite just a few examples, the ACLU has defended: a high school basketball player in Alabama kicked off the team because he missed Sunday practice in order to attend church; an eighth grader in California barred from wearing a shirt that read “Real Women Love Jesus;” and a Vermont family who refused to provide their child’s Social Security Number to school authorities because of their fundamentalist Christian beliefs.[3]

Sources:

[1]bizpacreview.com/2014/05/06/i-bet-the-fla-school-that-banned-boy-from-reading-bible-during-free-time-is-sorry-now-117269

[2}wsvn.com/story/25435336/broward-student-told-not-to-read-bible-in-classroom

[3] According to American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU), under the Religious Freedom Publication, ACLU-TN Briefing Paper – Religion in Public Schools, then heading of Free Exercise of Religion, aclu-tn.org/pdfs/briefer_religion_in_public_schools.pdf

I am sure if you google you will find, many, many more issues of places banning the Bible in schools, etc.

About the Author

Author: Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

8 thoughts on “Bible Reading: Okay for Jails but not Schools?

  1. It is something I’ve been thinking about lately. I feel led to speak to youth about having a vision for their lives, and living intentionally chasing awesome. I am hesitant because my story/testimony doesn’t include climbing back from a wordly rock bottom. Ok long way to get to the point but here we go, I think we often fail to realize we are all at rock bottom and helpless without Christ. We think criminals nees to find Jesus, but not students in public school.

  2. Everyone needs Jesus regardless of who we are young old criminal not criminal in school or at a school. The Bible should be able to be read freely no matter where your at. Who you are or what you do.

  3. Amen we all need christ and people would feel so free and better if they were closer to him he give u that peace that ur body wants and longs for

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