Though many Christians in America, particularly conservative-minded Christians, feel that their faith is under attack in modern America, a school in West Virginia just delivered a small, but heartening, victory for the Christian faith’s involvement in public life by approving a Bible study club for students.
The school district in which that new Bible study is happening is Kanawha County Schools, and the school at which the club will meet school is Charleston, West Virginia’s South Charleston High School. The club will be student-lead and student-sponsored, though there will be a faculty representative involved to comply with the school’s club policy.
Such is what George Aulenbacher, the assistant superintendent of high schools in Kanawha County, said about the Bible study. Introducing it and duly noting that students were behind it, Aulenbacher said, “We got an email second week of November about a student led Bible study. We reached out to the principal student sponsored. The student came and talked to the principal about it.”
Continuing, he noted that there will be a faculty sponsor working with a student leader to get the Bible study club going, saying, “Kids come with a number of different ideas. The principal has the final say-so on the club. I think it really varies on the student and the club. They want to start and work with a student to have a faculty sponsor.”
Another individual involved, Elliot Namay said, “I think if it is students that want to form their own, that is perfectly find and if they want to have outside speakers come in to speak to that group, that is perfectly fine. They can have a priest, a rabbi come in periodically to speak to those groups as long as it is balanced.”
Posting on X (formerly Twitter) about the club’s approval, an account called Faith Defender said, “Cool!
A student from South Charleston High School in West Virginia requested a Bible study club for interested peers. Officials with Kanawha County Schools have approved the request. ‘More students across our nation need to request this!”
Commenting on the post, people said things like “I had an extremely stressful job several years ago. Later, I discovered this company had a Bible study group over lunch led by the CEO of the company. I attended regularly and found it eased my stress and gave me direction re outside of work matters too” and “Great to see. We could use more of these in more schools. Peace on Earth, Good will towards men. ✝️”
According to guidance that the U.S. Department of Education issued in May, “a public secondary school receiving Federal funds that creates a ‘limited open forum’ may not refuse student religious groups access to that forum.” Defining when that situation is relevant, the Equal Access Act provides that “A ‘limited open forum’ exists ‘whenever such school grants an offering to or opportunity for one or more noncurriculum related student groups to meet on school premises during noninstructional time,” the federal guidance says, adding that activities allowed could include “a voluntary and student-initiated prayer service, scripture reading, or other worship exercise.”
"*" indicates required fields