Page 4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, August 2, 1983 Ruling may let Bible classes stay BRISTOL, Va. (AP) - Sponsors of private Bible classes in public schools said yesterday they hope the lessons can resume this fall under guidelines from a federal judge, who ruled against the classes in their present form. U.S. District Judge Jackson Kiser said the 42-year-old Bible program for 4th and 5th grade students in Bristol schools was an unconstitutional "religious exercise." But in his ruling signed Friday and filed yesterday, Kiser also listed guidelines that would provide "a clean break with the past" and allow the classes as long as they were "taught ob- jectively" and controlled by the school district. THE CLASSES, on school property, had been sponsored by the private Bible Teaching in Public Schools group. The group, headed by Gene Kistner, hired the teachers and determined the curriculum. Although the classes were voluntary, school records showed that most students attended. The judge's decision came about a month after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court of a suit filed by Bristol City Councilman Sam Crockatt and his wife, Sally, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union. The Crocketts contended the classes were in school religious and violated the constitutional doctrine of separation of church and state. KISTNER SAID his Bible teaching group plans to contribute about $35,000 to the district to fund the classes. "Our hopes are that they'll set up a Bible program this fall," Kistner said. "It's going to be the same thing. I think that's going to irritate the ACLU ... They didn't want the Bible taught at all." In the judge's ruling, he said the U.S. Supreme Court "has recognized the importance of the Bible independent of its religious significance and the in- fluence that thisbook has hadgon Western civilization cannot tie gain- said." THE SUPREME Court has stated that for a course of Bible instruction to pass constitutional muster, it must be taught objectively. Using guidelines from a 1970 Martin- sville, Va., case in the which Kiser - then an attorney - defended that city's Bible program, the judge said in order for the classes to be constitutional, the Bristol School Board must have com- plete control, teachers must be cer- tified as elementary educators, the course should be an elective and must be taught objectively, and alternatives should be offered. Gifted kids learn at camp (Continued from Page 1) "Not all our people are weird," she said. "Most of them are, but not all of them." FOR SOME, the experience is a chance to overcome the feeling of "weirdness" created by being a little different than other children. Randy Zywicki, who will be an Engineering freshman in the fall, is teaching photography at the camp. He remembers coming to the camp in the seventh-grade as a "kind .of recessed kid" from a poor, rural area. "I was different from the other kids," he said. "But at the camp I could get along with kids who were my equals and I made a lot of friends." IT CAN ALSO be a chance to get away from the restrictions of school and home. After 2:30, their time is their own, to have squirt gun battles in front of Betsy Barbour or wander the streets of Ann Arbor. "In Hillsdale there is hardly any diversity of cultures," said eighth- grader Laura Miller. "It- is mostly caucasians and there is a lot of prejudice. I like to walk on campus and hear people talk different languages," she said. Alex Grossberg, wearing a Michigan t-shirt, and shorts says one of the best things about the camp is the chance to walk around Ann Arbor. "I LIKE THE freedom of walking DANIEL'S "USED BABY THINGS" BABY CRIBS, PLAYPENS, STROLLERS, CHANGING TABLES, TOYS, SWINGS, CLOTHING & MORE. WE BUY, SELL & REPAIR OPEN: MON-SAT 10-6 587 S. MAPLE 761-9305 around the city. - and I would like to learn more about computers, photography and the rest of that stuff," he said. A typical day for the young students means waking up at 7 a.m., in time for a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at West Quad. From there it's on to workshops where they try their hand at computer graphics, explore the University's genetics or naval architecture labs or sit in on an astronomy seminar. Most of the kids come from affluent Detroit suburbs, according to Susan Ianna, the program's director. They must score above average on in- telligence tests, or have teacher recommendations, and be able to come up with the $450 camp fee. IN BRIEF Compiled from Associated Press and United Press International reports PLO fighting leaves 7 dead BEIRUT, Lebanon - Fighting intensified in the Bekaa Valley yesterday between Palestine Liberation Organization rebels and loyalists of chairman Yas- r Arafat. Police reported seven dead and nine wounded. A eLO spokesman said two bases previously held by forces loyal to Arafat had effectively been lost to the rebels. "The situation in the Bekaa today is dangerous," the PLO news agency WAFA reported on the 10th straight day of fighting between Afafat loyalists and rebels in his Fatah faction who began a mutiny in May. A PLO spokesman said Jdita, an Arafat base 22 miles east of Beirut and a supply base near Kafr Zabd, 32 miles east of the capital, had effectively been lost to the rebels. "Syrian forces are surrounding Fatah positions and threatening to empty them," WAFA reported. Conference asks for nuclear ban TOKYO - Representatives from 31 countries met yesterday to condemn the world's major powers for "intensifying the nuclear arms race." The organizing committee of the 1983 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs appealed for "an end to the arms race and a total ban on nuclear weapons." On August 6, the conference will move to Hiroshima, for a mass rally marking the 1945 nuclear holocaust that killed an estimated 80,000 people. As the conference opened, about 1,900 women marched on the Seneca Ar- my Depot in Romulus, New York, to demand ahalt to U.S. deployment of the Cruise and Pershing missles. Fourteen of the women were arrested after they climbed a fence at the depot and planted a pine tree and sunflowers. The women were met at the entrance to the depot by about 200 counter- demonstrators who said they objected to alleged disrespect shown for the American flag. Sri Lanka asks for U.S. aid COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka, torn by civil clashes it says were fomented by "one of the great powers," has appealed for a pledge of US military assistance against foreign invasion, government sources said yesterday. The government arrested members of pro-Soviet political parties and was considering measures to cut down the staff at the Soviet Embassy as calm returned to most areas after a week of ethnic violence that killed 239 people. Cabinet ministers have said there is evidence "foreign elements" masterminded the alleged plot. The Colombo Sun in an editorial yesterday called for the closing of all Soviet bloc embassies, and specifically those of the Soviet Union and East Germany. Highly placed government sources said requests had been made to the United States, Britain, Pakistan and Bangladesh for pledges of military aid in the event of any foreign invasion. The sources said Pakistan and Bangladesh had responded positively to the request while the Western embassies were consulting their governments. Chad claims Libya raided town N'DJAMENA, Chad - The government said Libyan air attacks on Faya- Largeau eased off yesterday afternoon, and foreign observers doubted a Libyan claim that President Hissene Habre and his forces were encircled in the key town in northern Chad. Western diplomats said the Libyan air attacks yesterday morning ap- parently were an attempt to prevent Habre from moving forward and were not part of attempt by former President Goukouni Oueddei's Libyan-backed rebels to recapture the strategic oasis. The government charged that Libyan jets raided Faya-Largeau, 500 miles northwest of N'Djamena, three times yesterday morning, dropping phosphorus bombs. It claimed the Libyan air attacks began Saturday during the battle for the town of 10,000 and continued Sunday. A spokesman for the Habre government called on the United States, Fran- ce, Morocco, Zaire, Sudan, Egypt and all other "friendly countries" for air support, and CBS News reported the aircraft carrier Eisenhower had been put on alert in the Mediterranean. Weapons flow to Salvadoran rebels stopped, officials say WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence believes the smuggling of weapons from Nicaragua to leftist guerrilas in El Salvador has effectively stopped, although shipments of medicine, communications gear and some am- munition are still being detected, officials say. Administration and congressional sources familiar with the intellience data said explanations for the drop-off vary. Some credit U.S. interdiction efforts and pressure on the leftist Nicaraguan government, but others say the Salvadoran guerrillas simply have all the weapons they need. The officials, who spoke on condition they not be identified, said the Salvadoran guerrilas still were using infiltration routs from Nicaragua to obtain some "specialty" ammunition, medicines, and "top-of-the-line" com- munications gear. Woman raped in home An Ann Arbor woman was allegedly raped in her West Liberty Street home early Sunday morning, Ann Arbor police said. The suspect, a white male in his early-to-mid twenties climbed through a window to rob the house at 5:15 a.m. police said. When he saw the woman he allegedly sexually assaulted her and then forced her to leave the house with him. The suspect took the women to Virginia Park and assaulted her again, police said. The police have questioned one suspect and released him. The in- vestigation is continuing. - Halle Czechowski