ECISD Will Continue Bible Courses: Courses Utilize Bible as Main Textbook 

Odessa- Today, the Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) overcame an ACLU attack on its Bible courses with the adoption of Mediator Hesha Abrams’ proposal providing that ECISD continue to offer Bible courses with a curriculum developed and monitored by ECISD that will utilize the Bible as the primary course textbook.

“With hard work, and good people working together, we were able to forge a solution that works for this community. I am grateful for the trust that the parties placed in me allowing for a creative solution,” said Mediator Hesha Abrams of Dallas.

Today’s proposal not only ensures that Bible courses will be continued at ECISD, but also commissions an ECISD Committee to review and develop Bible curriculum for these future courses.

Since the 80^th Texas Legislature passed into law Representative Warren Chisum’s bill (H.B. 1287) requiring all Texas school districts to offer Bible courses if a specific demand exists, ECISD’s timely review of Bible curriculum now places it in a unique position to lead the entire state of Texas in effectively teaching high school Bible courses that comply with Texas state law.

“This is a great victory for ECISD and the community. ECISD will continue to offer a Bible course, it will be a curriculum of its own choosing, it may use portions of any existing curriculum as a resource, and the Bible will be the main textbook for the course,” said Hiram Sasser, Director of Litigation for Liberty Legal Institute, the non-profit law firm representing ECISD.

Liberty Legal Institute came to ECISD’s defense after the ACLU of Texas filed a lawsuit against ECISD for offering two high school courses on the history and literature of the Bible.

“The District is grateful to Ms. Abrams for her hard work and creativity in constructing a good solution to a difficult problem,” said ECISD Superintendent Hector Mendez.

Liberty Legal Institute is a legal organization committed to the defense of religious freedoms and First Amendment rights. The Institute has won a myriad of cases at the highest levels, including two landmark religious freedoms cases in 2007 alone. For more information, visit our website at www.libertylegal.org.

To set up an interview, please call Nicole Hay at 972-423-3131 ext. 102 or e-mail media@libertylegal.org.