ROSWELL, N.M., March 2 (UPI) -- A bill that would ensure that public school teachers can use the Bible in a non-religious context has been tabled by the New Mexico state Legislature.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dan Foley, R-Roswell, said the Bible could be used in literature or history classes as way to teach about religion but not to actually teach religion, the Roswell (N.M.) Daily Record said.
The newspaper said the bill was opposed by the Attorney General's Office, which said adopting a religious text as a textbook in public schools is unconstitutional.
Peter Simonson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, told the Daily Record he found nothing wrong with the bill, although it appeared to be a symbolic measure.
While the bill was "not inclusive of other religious texts" Simonson said he didn't think "it rises to the level of discrimination or an equal-protection violation."
