ECISD fights lawsuit

ECISD’s board of trustees voted 6-0 Monday evening to have Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute represent the Ector County Independent School District at no cost in a federal lawsuit over its Bible course.

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, People for the American Way Foundation and national law firm Jenner & Block LLP filed a federal lawsuit in Midland last week stating the Bible course violates individual religious liberties.

Trustees met in executive session for an hour and 13 minutes consulting with their attorney about litigation over its Bible curriculum — implemented in August.

Board President Randy Rives said the Institute’s attorneys will represent them at no cost due to an indemnity clause signed by ECISD Superintendent Wendell Sollis and the National Council president as part of the curriculum contract.

“It’s relatively early,” Rives said. “They will be doing what we authorized them to do.”

Trustees approved the Bible course in April 2005.

The organizations named in the suit filed it on behalf of eight parents who say they don’t agree with how the Bible class is taught.

The class uses curriculum produced by Greensboro-N.C.-based National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools. On Dec. 20, 2005, trustees approved the National Council curriculum.

Many of the plaintiffs said they either have young children or children who have graduated from ECISD schools and the course needs to be more inclusive to all religions.

After the meeting, Hiram Sasser, Liberty Legal Institute litigation director, said once the lawsuit has been served the institute would respond appropriately.

He said the ACLU might not had thought about the possibility of a legal institute specializing in constitutional law backing a school district in the case.

“I guess they are in for a surprise,” Sasser said.

Doug Hildebrand, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said he didn’t know of the clause or the institute, but ECISD receiving free legal services didn’t make a difference to him.

“I really didn’t know that,” he said. “I just would like for them to or someone to stop the National Council curriculum all together.”