School Religion Gets Credit

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — A federal judge has upheld a Spartanburg school district’s program to give credit for students who take an off-campus religious class.

The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported the judge last week agreed to allow Spartanburg District 7 to continue to offer credit for students who participate in the Bible education class.

The course has been offered by Spartanburg County Bible Education in School Time at a church next to Spartanburg High School since 2007.

Robert Moss, Ellen Tillett and the Freedom from Religious Foundation sued in 2009, saying that giving credit violates the First Amendment separation of church and state.

South Carolina law allows credit if the evaluation is based on secular criteria and no public money is used.

Moss and the others plan to appeal the decision.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All rights reserved.)