The Chesterfield County School Board voted 5-0 to approve a textbook for an as-yet unscheduled elective course on the Bible's impact on history, but not before a bit of rejoicing by one board member and a warning from another.
"Religion is a very personal thing," said Marshall W. Trammell Jr. of Bermuda District. "We need to be clear that we're not promoting the Bible. We're not trying to impose one religion over another."
His comments came moments after Matoaca District member U. Omarh Rajah called the Bible "the greatest book of all time."
"What a great time to rejoice," Rajah said. "To me, this is a hurdle we've jumped across."
The class as conceived would explore ways in which the Bible has affected history. But because of funding cuts, a lack of student interest and qualified instructors, it has not been offered since the board approved it in 2009, and it isn't likely to be on next year's schedule.
Earlier in its Tuesday-night meeting, the board heard about the superintendent's proposed $524 million budget for fiscal 2012.
Donald Wilms, a teacher at Manchester High School, asked the board to restore his and other teachers' salaries to 2010 levels, but he seemed more concerned with talking the board into an overall strengthening of the county's school system.
He said teachers are being asked to do more in less time than ever before and that, perhaps, it is time to begin considering longer school days and a longer school year.
The School Board will hold another work session on the budget, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. , and then vote on it Feb. 22.
zreid@timesdispatch.com
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