Some school systems, such as Chesterfield County in Virginia, believe that biblical history should be taught in conjunction with traditional history instruction. For example, the Chesterfield school board unanimously approved a curriculum in 2009 that would focus on the impact the Bible has had on major historical events without delving into religious doctrine. The class would be an elective and has not been scheduled as of February 2011.
Some organizations, such as the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools (NCBCPS), believe that a Bible history course should be taught with the Bible as the only textbook, and it should allow students to study from their own Bibles to avoid offense at the possibility of being forced to study a version of the book that does not mesh with their beliefs. This curriculum offers sections such as "The Bible in America," "The History of the Scripture in Print" and "The Origins of Writing."
According to the NCBCPS, as of February 2011, curricula that feature the Bible as the only textbook have been approved in 563 school districts -- a total of 2,075 high schools. This covers 38 states, and these courses have been taken for credit by more than 360,000 students.
There is a great deal of controversy, even among those who approve of teaching Bible history in schools. Some believe in only using it as a comparative tool with literature or historical events. Others believe that the Bible should be the only textbook, and more options for teaching should be available. Marshall Trammell of the Chesterfield school board voiced one of the primary concerns when he said, "We need to be clear that we're not promoting the Bible. We're not trying to impose one religion over another." Elizabeth Ridenour, president of NCBCPS said, regarding her council's suggested curriculum, "The central approach of the class is simply to study the Bible as a foundation document of society, and that approach is altogether appropriate in a comprehensive program of secular education."