WHEN THE newly elected school board in Odessa, Tex., announced that it would require public schools to offer a Bible course elective, many townspeople cried hallelujah. But last week some other residents, aided by the American Civil Liberties Union and the People for the American Way Foundation, sued the school district for violating the First Amendment.

Currently 8 percent of public schools nationwide offer courses on the Bible. The Supreme Court has deemed these classes constitutional so long as they "present knowledge, but neither promote nor disparage belief." Odessa residents are thus challenging the course's execution and not its existence. The district chose the more controversial of two leading Bible class curricula: a course designed by the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, a group run by a veritable Who's Who of conservative Christian leaders. Council board member and actor Chuck Norris has described this curriculum as the "first step to get God back into your public school."

...."The fact that Odessa schools may be carelessly implementing their new Bible course doesn't bode well for their willingness to teach the Bible in an objective, scholarly, nonsectarian fashion. Given that the Texas legislature is considering a bill to bring Bible courses such as Odessa's to schools statewide, we hope that this lawsuit will force schools to think more critically about teaching this important but sensitive subject.

L.V. “Butch” Foreman, a member of the Ector County school board in Odessa, Texas, has three words for parents who say the district’s Bible course crosses the line: “kiss my butt.” Said Foreman

“If they don’t have children in the class, they can kiss my butt,” Foreman said. “They’re just looking to impose their beliefs and their views on everybody, and we don’t put up with that crap out here.”

If the plaintiffs did have children enrolled in the classes, then Foreman said he would tell the students to drop the class and take another course since it’s an elective.

..."Chuck Norris, star of TV’s “Walker, Texas Ranger” as well as films including “Missing in Action” and “Delta Force 2,” and his wife Gena have joined the board of directors of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools (NCBCPS)