Elective Bible courses in public schools: A qualitative case study of successful implementation and sustainability

This qualitative case study explores how an elective Bible course has been implemented in a rural public-school district in the Midwest and has been able to continuously sustain it for at least 10 years. It looks at what the perceptions of the teacher and administrators are regarding how to successfully implement and sustain this course. Using the theoretical lens of liberal democratic pluralism, this case study explored how this course supported the tenets of student autonomy and mutuality. The findings of this study suggest that an overarching paradigm of trust exists at the case study site in the form of community cooperation. This trust appeared to be the result of the school district’s leadership stability, leadership oversight, teacher selection, and the utility of the course.