AP: OK School Board Discussed Bible Class With Hobby Lobby President

Private meetings between school board members and the President of Hobby Lobby stores may have violated state laws.

The big issue is here is transparency and whether or not the Mustang School District intentionally met in private with the goal of keeping the public in the dark about a Bible-based curriculum developed by Hobby Lobby's President.

E-mails obtained by the Associated Press prove the Mustang School Board broke into small groups back in April and met privately with Hobby Lobby President Steve Green to discuss the Bible history courses that were eventually approved by the school board.

By breaking into smaller groups, the school district was about to get around a law that requires government meetings to be open to the public.

This story got the attention of the District Attorney. David Prater told the Associated Press the move to meet in private could create a potential violation if it is proven to be a deliberate attempt to go around laws that require government bodies to meet openly.

Hobby Lobby's President hopes to expose more children to the Bible by using it to teach archaeology, history and the arts. Open government advocates say the public should be outraged that the school board met in private to discuss this matter.