The Edgerton Bible Case

The School Board’s Argument

The Edgerton School Board did not believe their practices were illegal or immoral. They wished to continue to read from the King Kames Bible and believed they were legally entitled to do so. At least seven reasons supporting their position can be gleaned from court documents.1

Edgerton School Board begins: First, we do not require teachers to read from the Bible. Those who do read from the Bible, choose to do so in accordance with their individual rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion as protected by the Wisconsin State Constitution. Thus, it would be unconstitutional for us to do as the Catholic parents ask and ban them from reading the Bible.

Board continues: Second, we do not require pupils to remain in class or school during the reading of Bible passages. The Catholic students are at liberty to withdraw without punishment during such readings if they desire to do so. Thus, no one is forcing them to adopt any sectarian doctrine or even listen to any sectarian doctrine.

Board: Third, the parental claim that the Roman Catholic Church is the only infallible teacher or interpreter of the Bible is itself sectarian since other Christian sects do not accept it as the truth, and enforcement of their view would therefore violate state law prohibiting the teaching of sectarian doctrines.

Board: Fourth, the Bible passages the teachers read are not sectarian, they are universally accepted by Christian denominations. The passages that teachers choose to read in class from the King James Version are contained in the Douay Version and do not differ materially in translation.2 Since nothing in state law prohibits non-sectarian reading from the Bible, teachers should be able to continue reading the non-sectarian Bible passages as they have in the past.

Board: Fifth, the King James Version is a state-approved textbook. Ever since 1858, the Wisconsin state superintendent of public instruction has included the King James Version in his list of recommended school textbooks for the purpose of general instruction. Moreover, there is no book that can take the Bible’s place in presenting Biblical history and morals; thus, no other book to provide these in our children’s education.

Board: Sixth, these decisions have been made in a lawful and proper manner. The school board was duly formed by lawful process, its Board members were lawfully elected, and they did decided by lawful procedure to abide by the will of the vast majority of our children and parents in permitting teachers to read from the King James Version during school hours.

Board concludes: Finally, teachers read from the Bible without comment. They do not elaborate or explain passages. Such reading from a text without comment as the teachers do is not instruction. Instruction requires teacher elaboration or explanation of the reading, and this is not done. Therefore, we are not providing sectarian instruction, since no instruction at all is occurring with respect to the Bible.

Notes

1 From the Board’s petition, LEXIS, Prior History, pp. 5-19 and State ex rel Weiss itself.

2 The Board identified the following specific passages as the ones read in class: Psalms 1, 15, 19, 23, 24, 27, 37, 46, 100, 121, 125; Proverbs 15: 1, 3, 13, 16, 20; Proverbs Chapters 16, 20 and 22; Matthew Chapter 2; Matthew 5: 1-13; Matthew 6: 1-16; Matthew 13; Matthew 25: 1-28; Luke 11: 1-14; Luke 19: 1-28; Luke 21: 1-5; Romans 14: 4-8; and Corinthians Chapter 13.