For over 100 years, the Bible was read to Idaho public school students at the start of each school day. But in 1964, the Bible was taken out of our schools—and in the years that followed, violent crime increased by more than 600%, unwed teen births increased by nearly 300%, single parent households increased by more than 250%. Removing the Bible from schools has had a profoundly negative impact on the morality of rising generations. We must protect our society and constitutional republic by bringing the Bible back into schools.

Idahoans want our public schools to acknowledge God in ways consistent with the history and tradition of our state and nation. After all, Idaho's founding fathers affirmed that Idaho was a Christian state—and they wanted the Bible read in our public schools. Given this, it's time for Idaho to bring back its century old practice of school-sponsored Bible reading to develop the morality of our youth and to honor our traditional Judeo-Christian values. I implore you to give H 162 your “aye” when it is heard in the House Education Committee.

Idaho's founding fathers intentionally crafted our state constitution to allow Bible reading – without instruction or comment – in our public schools. As James W. Reid (Vice President of the Idaho Constitutional Convention) explained, “It is because the Bible is read . . . in the schools that this country is great and glorious . . . and I do not want the day to come when my children and those of my neighbors cannot read the Bible.” Please bring the Bible back to our schools!