Texas clergy want SBOE to promote religious freedom
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As the final board vote on social studies standards approaches, more and more groups unhappy with proposed curriculum changes are making their final pleas.
From the pulpit to the podium, dozens of clergy who speak their
beliefs of religion before a congregation each week called on State Board of Education members to protect those beliefs and let teachers teach Texas children about religious liberty.
"We don't want to be the laughing stock of the nation and certainly don't want our children to be taught a very narrow religious agenda," Rev. Larry Bethune, senior pastor of University Baptist Church in Austin, said.
Bethune's among the 600 clergy who makes up the Texas Faith Network.
The group is most upset over the board's rejection in March, which was to have high school students be required to learn why the Founding Fathers protected religious freedom in America.
A freedom, they said, that bars the government from favoring one religion over another.
"We think it's very important that Texas children understand religious liberty and its place as the First Amendment of our Constitution and Bill of Rights," Bethune said.
"What's ironic about this issue is you've got a group of clergy who are advocating for a strict view of the wall of separation of church and state, but here they are at the State Capitol trying to get their message out," Jonathan Saenz, with the conservative organization Liberty Institute, said.
Saenz said this is just one more final plea from a small group of people trying to distort the truth about history.
It's a final plea plenty of people are taking the time to voice, whether positive or negative.
Click here to submit your comments to the SBOE electronically.
More than 20,000 comments about history and government revisions have been received by board members one week before
they make a final vote.
Members of clergy speaking out Tuesday said they know those comments and concerns might not make a difference next week, but they said continuing to try is key to future success.
"The question should not be will it work. The question should be is it worth doing?" Rev. Valda Jean Combs, pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Waco, said.
The public can still submit comments to the State Board of Education through May 19.
Also, Thursday the ACLU will release a report on what they call the board's abuse of power over the past two decades.