Senators voted for a version of the Bible with a uniquely American backstory to be made available to fourth, eighth and 10th grade social studies classrooms.
Senate Bill 388 would make the Aitken Bible available to classrooms for those age levels, with private donations being used to obtain them. Organizations like one called “The First American Bible Project” make such donations.
The Aitken Bible is the first complete English-language Bible printed in America, published in 1782 by Philadelphia printer Robert Aitken during the Revolutionary War. It is known as the “Bible of the Revolution.”
The bill passed the Senate on a 30-4 vote on Thursday. The bill now goes to the House of Delegates for consideration.
“The bill does not say a teacher must use that to teach,” said Senate Education Chairwoman Amy Nichole Grady, R-Mason. “It says that it is made available to students as a resource.”
Grady went on to say the books would be in classroom libraries: “Nothing says they have to use it. It’s available to them. They may choose it.”
Senator Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, contended the bill does not have enough guardrails to prevent the Bibles from being used to introduce religion into classroom lessons.
“I have a firm belief that when we deal with matters of faith that instruction be carried out by the family, faith leaders or our private schools, our parochial schools, by our educators in those schools,” Woelfel said. “I think we’re opening up Pandora’s box.”
Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, also spoke against the bill, saying it should have been more expansive to include additional religious traditions such as Catholicism.
“I think we’re missing out on telling a broader tale of that time period,” Weld said.
Senator Jack David Woodrum, R-Summers, spoke in favor of the bill.
He said, “This Bible is a foundational American historical document, presented during the Revolutionary era, and it’s referenced in the study of early American culture, literacy and political thought.
“Making it available as an historical resource in social studies classrooms is no different than making other primary source documents available for context and for understanding.”