Mrs. Charlene Becker
Letter to the Editor - Chattanooga Times Free Press, June 4, 2005

Bible teachers here are definite asset

Bible teachers in the Hamilton County Schools are a definite asset. The literary value of the Bible is unquestionable.

The Bible and Shakespeare are the most often quoted works of Western man. Do we not want our children to understand references made to these works?

The content of the Bible touches the history of several major religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Culture has at its heart an understanding of religious exercise that binds people together. To understand other cultures, we need to understand what we have in common.

A study of the Bible as history and literature reflecting the development and foundation of people is very beneficial.

Bible teachers trained to use the Bible as an instructional text add a great deal to our schools. They expand the elective offerings for high school students, offer choice in the middle school related arts program and provide a deeper understanding of a significant work that has influenced the development of our culture.

Directors Henegar and Stromberg do an excellent job of funding, training and monitoring Bible teachers to maintain the excellent, objective instruction our children receive each year.

It's unfortunate they cannot fund additional teachers to meet the increasing demand and popularity of this offering in our public schools.

CHARLENE BECKER
Director of Secondary Instruction
Hamilton County Department of Education