Mother Challenges Bible Study in School

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (CN) - Fairfield Community Schools violate the Constitution by teaching the Bible in first grade, and when a mother objected to it, they stuck her son in an unsupervised hallway during Bible class, the mom claims in Federal Court. The mother says New Paris Elementary School teaches the Bible in all grades except kindergarten. She wants it enjoined.

"Bible study is taught by a teacher from an area church and lasts for roughly twenty minutes," the mom says. "The teacher is listed on the school's Internet page as 'Bible Teacher.'"

She says she opted out of the class for her son and the school stuck him in a hallway with a basket of books. Her son "sat on the floor of the hallway, unsupervised, until the Bible study ended."

The mother, who filed pseudonymously, is represented by Kenneth Falk, with the ACLU's Indianapolis office.

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