U.S. District Judge Al Edgar has ordered that Bible classes must stop in the public elementary schools of Rhea County.
Judge Edgar in a 19-page opinion said Rhea County school officials "acted with both purpose and effect to endorse and advance religion in the public schools."
The Bible classes have been taught by students of Bryan College for over 50 years.
Officials in Rhea County said they plan to appeal the ruling.
Judge Edgar said the Bible teaching violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The case had been set to go to trial on Feb. 19.
It was brought by a Rhea County couple, whose name was kept under seal. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, of Wisconsin, was also a plaintiff. The opinion says they have two children in the Rhea County public schools and are members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The Bible Education Ministry had been taught to students in K-5 for 30 minutes a week.
Judge Edgar said that though Rhea County school officials say the program is optional, that is not told the students and there is no record of a student ever opting out of the course.
The judge said in his ruling it has never been held there is a ban on all religious activity in public schools. He said voluntary prayer is allowed and religious groups may use school facilities under some circumstances.
But he said "a distinct religious viewpoint" may not be taught in a public school. He said, "This is what the Rhea County School Board has done by allowing the teaching of the Bible through the BEM program in the elementary schools of Rhea County. In so doing these defendants have acted with both purpose and effect to endorse and advance religion in the public schools. This is prohibited by the Establishment Clause."
Judge Edgar said his predecessor, Judge Frank Wilson, declared that Bible can be taught in the public schools if it is done by trained educators and "if it does not encourage a commitment to a set of religious beliefs."
Judge Edgar said the Bryan students teaching the course "have no discernable educational training and no supervision by the school system."
The judge, saying that "this is not a close case," said that Christians "are probably in the majority in Rhea County, but that does not give them license to teach their religion in the public schools."
Rhea County is the site of another major case involving a religious controversy - that of teaching of evolution in the public schools. That was the Scopes Monkey Trial held in Dayton in 1925.
Judge Edgar noted, "The legacy of that trial in some respects gives rise to this lawsuit."
Bryan College was named after William Jennings Bryan, who was pitted against Clarence Darrow in the evolution trial.
Plaintiffs in the present case claimed that the Rhea County Schools taught the Bible "as religious truth."
The plaintiffs were awarded a nominal $1 along with reasonable attorney fees.
The case was brought against Rhea County School Supt. Sue Porter and the Rhea County Board of Education.
To see the full opinion go to
RHEA COUNTY BIBLE OPINION