Cumberland County school board agrees not to allow giving out Bibles during school hours

photo Bible tile

The Cumberland County Board of Education on Thursday night approved a settlement agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee that prohibits non-student groups from distributing Bibles or other written religious materials on school grounds during school hours, a news release states.

"We commend the Cumberland County School Board for recognizing that children's religious decisions should be made with the help of their families and faith communities, free from pressure by school officials," ACLU-TN legal director Thomas Castelli said in the release.

ACLU-TN sent a letter to the school board in April on behalf of John Doe, the parent of a 5th grader at Frank P. Brown Elementary School, who contacted the group after his child reported feeling pressured to take a Bible during a classroom presentation by representatives of Gideons International.

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