The state school board finalized curriculum for the elective classes in March, but some districts say they'd rather leave that instruction to the church.
Other districts say they don't have the extra money for materials and staffing of a class on the Bible.
"We found that since many of our students have such a strong spiritual upbringing that is firmly grounded in Christianity, there was very little interest on the part of the students to take such a class," said L'Angra Webster, a spokeswoman for the Hancock County school system.
The Macon Telegraph reports that districts like Bibb County say they would have a difficult time finding a teacher who can give Bible instruction objectively without injecting religious views, a stipulation of the state. Some smaller districts, like Pulaski and Monroe counties, say they don't have room in their schedules to offer Bible classes.
Just a handful of the state's 180 school districts have agreed to offer the elective classes so far, but it's difficult to confirm just how many.
State officials say they'll have a better picture of what districts are offering the courses in June when systems send the state student records detailing what classes they are taking.
Georgia's school systems are the first in the nation to offer publicly funded Bible classes after lawmakers passed a bill allowing the courses in 2006.
Supporters say fully understanding history, literature and political science - from the writings of Martin Luther King Jr. to the war in Iraq - requires knowledge of the Bible. But critics - like the American Civil Liberties Union - fear the classes could easily turn into endorsements of Christianity.
The group, along with the Washington, D.C.-based First Amendment Center, plan to monitor how the classes are taught.
Lawmakers in Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas have considered similar plans this year, although none has received final approval. One proposal in Texas would require all high school students to take a Bible class.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/1/205758