Jury rules in favor of Knox Co. Schools in Bible case

Jury rules in favor of Knox Co. Schools in Bible case

KNOXVILLE (WATE/AP) -- A federal court jury has ruled in favor of Knox County Schools in a lawsuit in which a student claimed he could not read and discuss Bible passages during recess.

School officials had argued before the decision was reached Thursday that it was a misunderstanding of policy.

Samuel and Tina Whitson sued after their then-fourth grade son Luke and other Karns Elementary School students alleged their rights were violated.

The Whitsons sued for $1, recognition his rights had been violated and an injunction against future such actions.

According to WBIR-TV, school officials contended school policy banned adult-led Bible classes during school hours but allowed students to study the Bible on their own.

The Whitsons' case was backed by the Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based Christian legal group.

In 2006, the Knox County School board adopted a policy that specifically allows students to read religious texts at school during "discretionary time."

But that didn't resolve the lawsuit brought by the Whitsons.

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