Parents Defend Ga. School's Bible Distribution

Parents at a local elementary school in Cartersville, Georgia are standing behind the school's decision to allow Gideon's International to offer Bibles to students.

Cloverleaf Elementary School in Cartersville had received criticism from some parents after students reportedly came home with Bibles. One student told his mother that the Bibles had been handed out near the library at school after teachers announced to students that they may take one of the Holy Books.

While some parents are raising concerns over the separation of church and state, both the school and others have argued that the elementary school did not violate constitutional rights by allowing Gideon's International to passively distribute the books.

When Jessica Greene, a mother of a student at the school, asked about the policy on the school website, she received a response that read: "The Gideons are permitted to offer Bibles to students who wish to pick them up. It is strictly voluntary and the library was the location where students could pick one up; out librarian did not give them out. We appreciate your input. If you have further concerns, please contact administration during school hours. Thank you!"

Other parents have defended the school for allowing the distribution of Bibles, with several writing the phrase 'Stand By Cloverleaf" on the school's Facebook page.

Several other schools in the U.S. also allow the distribution of Bibles by Gideon's International. Rules of the Bible distribution say that the Bibles may only be set on a table by the religious group ,and students may pick up the Bibles if they wish.