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Resident urges board to restore religious context in schools and cites Florida statute
Summary
A Highlands County property owner and taxpayer urged the board to reintroduce religious education context and referenced Florida Statute 1003.45 and historical documents in a public comment.
Larry Overfield, who identified himself as a Highlands County property owner and taxpayer, used his public-comment time to urge the school board to "regain" what he described as the historical linkage between religion, morality and education.
Overfield cited Florida Statute 1003.45, paragraph 1, and said the district "may install in the public schools a secular program of education including, but not limited to, an objective study of the Bible and of religion." He also referenced the 1787 Northwest Ordinance and quoted from a Yale University Press article (attributed to Ronald Hendel) about recent actions in Oklahoma regarding Bibles in classrooms. "The context of our history, Bible, faith, schools, and education has always been presented as 1 thought. We have lost this and need to regain it," Overfield said.
He acknowledged there are pros and cons to the idea and offered contact information for others interested in supporting the effort. Overfield read from historical documents and invoked the Declaration of Independence in closing remarks.
The board did not take action on his petition at the meeting; his comments were recorded during the public-comment portion of the agenda.
