The use of the Bible in public schools gained support in Idaho when members of the Republic Party passed a resolution in the state legislature expressing such support, saying that citizens of the state "must protect the principles and values that have made us strong."
Resolution 2015-P20, submitted by Marge Arnzen, Idaho county chairman, called on the state legislature to draft and support a bill that says the Bible "is expressly permitted to be used in Idaho public schools for reference purposes to further the study of literature, comparative religion, English and foreign languages, US and world history, comparative government, law, philosophy, ethics, astronomy, biology, geology, world geography, archaeology, music, sociology, and other topics of study where an understanding of the Bible maybe useful or relevant."
It also called on legislators to support a bill that public schools may offer selective study courses of the Bible for any of the mentioned secular discipline study purposes if students, parents or school district electors request for them.
The resolution noted that in 1782, the US Congress voted a resolution stating that "the Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools," and authorised a loan for the printing of 10,000 copies of the Bible primarily for public schools.
It added that the use of the Bible is consistent with the First Amendment and the 1963 US Supreme Court case of Abington School District against Schempp, which "declared that the Bible is worth studying for its literary qualities and its influence on history."
In 1980, it said, the Supreme Court ruled in the Stone vs. Braham case that "the Bible can constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilisation, ethics, comparative religion, or the like."
The Republicans said the Bible can be used in public schools in a non-religious, non-sectarian, and non denominational manner.
"Idaho public schools shall not infringe upon students', teachers', staff members', and administrators' freedom of speech, as guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution and the Idaho Constitution, Article 1, Section 9," the resolution stated.
Republicans control both the state Senate and House of Representatives and Idaho's governor, Clement Leroy Otter, is also a Republican.
