As you may know, it was announced that ALL public Oklahoma schools will be required to incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments in their curriculums – effective immediately, according to a memo from Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters.
How can that be accomplished in a safe and effective manner?
Chuck Stetson, CEO of Essentials in Education/The Bible Literacy Project can provide important and timely insight on this issue. The Bible Literacy Project has been providing a time-tested, FIRST AMENDMENT APPROVED curriculum for teaching the Bible in public classrooms since 2005, including Oklahoma. It has been endorsed by many groups including the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, National School Boards Association and People for the American Way.
Chuck Stetson is available for interviews immediately to discuss:
- His perspective as a curriculum expert on this mandate, and what it means for teachers and school administrators in Oklahoma and other states that may consider this initiative?
- The Bible is already being taught across the country in public schools through The Bible Literacy Project (1000 high schools in 45 state). How is it being received among educators? How do they alleviate concerns?
- Why the Bible is an important component to understanding history, literature and art. (In history, one cannot understand Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address without understanding Biblical references; there are over 1200 references to the Bible in the 38 plays of Shakespeare, etc.)
- How can educators offer this instruction while keeping separation of church and state in mind?
About Chuck Stetson and Essentials in Education…
Essentials in Education (EIE), a non-profit foundation providing educational materials to primary, secondary and collegiate institutions. Formed in 2001 EIE programs are taught in 45 states and globally. EIE materials and programs are developed using a standards-based approach to support state mandated social studies programs. Essentials in Education’s textbook, The Bible and Its Influence, is the only First Amendment safe textbook that meets both the legal standards and the academic rigor required in the classroom. Taught as an English or social studies high school elective course, this program is found in 650 high schools in 45 states and has a ten percent market share in six states – Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Tennessee and South Carolina.
Chuck Stetson is the CEO of Essentials in Education (EIE), a non-profit educational organization. Chuck initiated the Bible Literacy Project and co-authored The Bible and Its Influence. He is a speaker on education in a variety of venues including business leaders, community leaders, the staff of Congress, The White House and leading universities. He has appeared on FOX News, CBS Sunday Morning and The TODAY Show. His work at EIE has been featured in numerous Associated Press articles, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, and in the April 2, 2007 cover story in TIME Magazine.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001 or jerry@specialguests.com.
