Cy-Fair ISD's approval of Bible courses for next year catches parents' attention

CYPRESS, Texas (KTRK) -- Some Cypress-Fairbanks ISD parents are raising concerns about a new course that'll soon be offered.

Two courses coming to Cy-Fair ISD high school classrooms caught parents' attention this week. Several of them addressed school board members at Monday's meeting.

"As a Bible-believing Christian, I would not want my child to take the course or the textbook," Mary Ann Jackson said.

"With understaffing and overburdened teams, how exactly is it going to be carried off?" Dave Mahon asked school board members.

"Cy-Fair's a diverse district with more than 100 languages, I believe, and dialects spoken," Jenn Chenette also chimed in. "I think that needs to be respected."

The concerns raised by parents are about two courses the school board approved on Monday night. Literature and the Bible, and Western civilization and the Bible will be elective courses starting next school year.

No new teachers will be hired, and the district plans to use current staff.

Students aren't handed a Bible but a textbook looking at the Bible's influence on public policy and literature. The superintendent said he wanted to give students more Texas Education Agency-approved optional courses. They say classes are also offered in Klein and Conroe ISD, but to parents like Chenette, it's too far.

Recently, Cy-Fair ISD also discussed adding chaplains to campus.

"That's technically against the First Amendment," Chenette explained. "You can't show preface for one religion over another, and that's what's happening."

University of Houston law professor Seth Chandler said right now, he doesn't see anything wrong.

"So long as these days as they are presenting it in a neutral way where they're not trying to convert anyone, and it's taught historically, and it's voluntary, I think it's going to be OK under Supreme Court precedent," Chandler explained.

However, experts said that if more courses, signs, and religious personnel are added to schools, it could become an issue.

"At some point, you do not want public schools crossing the line and becoming a taxpayer-funded instrument in religious conversion," Chandler said.

The district offers more than 200 other electives, including newly added African-American and Mexican-American studies, according to the superintendent. However, some parents would like to see more religious diversity.

"If it was the Quran, a course on the Quran, or a class on the Torah, I think a lot of people would be outraged," Chenette said. "But because it's Christianity, I think it's just kind of accepted, and I have a big issue with that."

Two courses on parents' minds that are now set to head to Cy-Fair classrooms next school year.

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