80th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, House Bill 1287, Chapter 856 Page: 4 of 7
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H.B. No. 1287
1 (i) This section does not prohibit the board of trustees of
2 a school district from offering an elective course based on the
3 books of a religion other than Christianity. In determining whether
4 to offer such a course, the board may consider various factors,
5 including student and parent demand for such a course and the impact
6 such books have had on history and culture.
7 (j) This section does not prohibit a school district from
8 offering a course, other than the course authorized by this
9 section, in the academic study of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New
10 Testament, or both for local credit or for state elective credit
11 towards high school graduation.
12 SECTION 2. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
13 amended by adding Section 21.459 to read as follows:
14 Sec. 21.459. BIBLE COURSE TRAINING. (a) The commissioner
15 shall develop and make available training materials and other
16 teacher training resources for a school district to use in
17 assisting teachers of elective Bible courses in developing:
18 (1) expertise in the appr opriate Bible course
19 curriculum;
20 (2) understanding of applicable supreme court rulings
21 and current constitutional law regarding how Bible courses are to
22 be taught in public schools objectively as a part of a secular
23 program of education;
24 (3) understanding of how to present the Bible in an
25 objective, academic manner that neither promotes nor disparages
26 religion, nor is taught from a particular sectarian point of view;
27 (4) proficiency in instructional approaches that4
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. 80th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, House Bill 1287, Chapter 856, legislative document, 2007-05/2007-06; [Austin, Texas]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154719/m1/4/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.