Controversy in Odessa, Texas - Is it About the Bible, or About How It's Taught?

An ongoing controversy in Odessa, TX has been getting the attention of people across Texas and the rest of the country. It started off innocently enough: plans were made to adopt an elective course about the Bible for students in the local public schools (Ector County Independent School District). Three years later, people in favor of and against the curriculum have been making their views known, civil liberties groups and conservative Christian groups have gotten involved, and a lawsuit has been filed and settled. How did an elective course end up being so controversial?

The curriculum used for this course was produced by the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools. This curriculum is favored by many conservative, evangelical Christians. Critics say that the Protestant King James Bible is taught as truth; the interpretation of the text favors a sectarian theology that seems to ignore the beliefs of many Christians. The NCBC curriculum has been criticized by Dr. Mark Chancey of Southern Methodist University because of concerns about poor research, factual errors, and plagiarism. Another curriculum offered by the Bible Literacy Project was offered as a possibility. Their textbook has been praised by religious leaders and journalists alike, and has been approved by scholars from various Christian and Jewish backgrounds. Teachers who testified on the organization's website have stated that students have enjoyed the course very much.