BIBLE IN THE SCHOOLS PRESENTS $2M COMMUNITY GIFT TO HAMILTON COUNTY SCHOOLS
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., August 1, 2022 - Local nonprofit Bible in the Schools presented Hamilton County Schools (HCS)with its annual community gift of almost $2 million as reimbursement for the 2021-2022 countywide Bible electivecourse program. Bible in the Schools Board Chairman Tom Glenn and President Cathy Scott presented SuperintendentDr. Justin Robertson with the nearly $2 million gift. Also present was Bible in the Schools' board member Dr.Jill Hartness.
Dr. Justin Robertson stated, “We very much appreciate the support we receive from Bible in the Schools thatprovides an elective course opportunity for many of our students in grades 6-12. Thanks to the generosity of thegroup and its supporters, our unique partnership has been in place for 100 years, and we look forward tocontinuing our joint work to serve Hamilton County students in the future.”
Founded in 1922, Bible in the Schools provides elective Bible courses for public school students in HamiltonCounty. Celebrating its 100th year this year, Bible in the Schools now reaches 29 public schools and over 4,700students in grades 6-12. Demand for Bible continues to grow, as Bible in the Schools prepares to support31 schools for the 2022-2023 academic year with an expected record enrollment of over 5,000 students. HCS datareveals that of all middle and high school students in the county four out of five now have access to a Bibleclass at school. Hamilton County Schools recently announced a partnership with Chattanooga StateCommunity College that will begin this next school year. High school students who take Old Testament Survey willnow have the option to receive a local dual credit through Chatt State, earning college credit while studyingthe Bible.
Bible courses are funded entirely by the generous supporters of Bible in the Schools. Board Chairman Tom Glennstated, "It is our great privilege to present this gift to our public schools, as it represents the generosityof so many donors in this community. Such ongoing generosity has made the gift of elective Bible coursesavailable to so many students in Chattanooga for the last 100 years. As we look to the future, we are eager tocontinue fulfilling our mission of advancing Bible education in Hamilton County public schools." Because of thegenerosity of the community, Bible in the Schools provided the largest community partner donation given toHamilton County Schools in the 2021-2022 academic year.
President Cathy Scott stated, "The Hamilton County public school Bible program has been a daily dispenser of hopein this community and reflects the generosity of so many committed partners. Studying Bible courses in ourpublic schools helps ground and awaken students to the rich cultural footprint that the Bible has had onhistory. We believe that a knowledge of the Bible is a key component to a well-rounded education that encouragesstudents to not just be passive observers of society, but active contributors in a global world. Thank you toall who have donated generously to enrich Hamilton County Schools with a text that crosses all cultural,socioeconomic, and racial barriers while still enriching lives each day."
Bible classes followguidelines established by a 1980 federal court ruling which affirmed that the teaching of for-credit elective Bibleclasses in Hamilton County's public middle and high schools is constitutionally permissible. The Bible coursecurricular framework is court-approved and aligns with the Tennessee Department of Education's state academicstandards. The Hamilton County-based program also leads the nation with the largest concentration of public schoolstudents in any one school district studying the Bible. The program is currently celebrating its 100th year.
More information regarding participating schools and courses offered is available at bibleintheschools.com.Please direct any inquiries to info@bibleintheschools.com.
Photo Credit: Zecheriah Curtis