Bill Text: MS SB2105 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Elective courses providing academic study of the Bible; authorize public school districts to offer.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [SB2105 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-SB2105-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Senator(s) Ward
Senate Bill 2105
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO OFFER STUDENTS IN GRADE 9 OR ABOVE ELECTIVE COURSES PROVIDING ACADEMIC STUDY OF THE BIBLE; TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR SUCH COURSES OF STUDY; TO PROVIDE FOR BIBLE COURSE TRAINING TO ASSIST TEACHERS OF SUCH ELECTIVE BIBLE COURSES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-161, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Elective courses on the Bible's Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament and their impact on the history and literature of western civilization. (1) A public school district may offer to students in Grade Nine or above:
(a) An elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New Testament and its impact; or
(b) An elective course that combines the courses described by paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(2) The purpose of a course under this section is to:
(a) Teach students knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture, including literature, art, music, mores, oratory and public policy; and
(b) Familiarize students with, as applicable:
(i) The contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament;
(ii) The history of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament;
(iii) The literary style and structure of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament; and
(iv) The influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament on law, history, government, literature, art, music, customs, morals, values and culture.
(3) A student may not be required to use a specific translation as the sole text of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament and may use as the basic textbook a different translation of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament from that chosen by the school board of the student's school district or the student's teacher.
(4) A course offered under this section shall follow applicable law and all federal and state guidelines in maintaining religious neutrality and accommodating the diverse religious views, traditions and perspectives of students in their school district. A course under this section shall not endorse, favor or promote, or disfavor or show hostility toward, any particular religion or nonreligious faith or religious perspective. Nothing in this statute is intended to violate any provision of the United States Constitution or federal law, the Mississippi Constitution or any state law, or any rules or guidelines provided by the United States Department of Education or the Mississippi Department of Education.
(5) Before adopting rules identifying the essential knowledge and skills of a course offered under this section, the State Board of Education shall submit the proposed essential knowledge and skills to the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall review the proposed essential knowledge and skills to ensure that the course complies with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and the local school board may not adopt rules identifying the essential knowledge and skills of a course offered under this section without the Attorney General's approval under this subsection.
(6) A teacher of a course offered under this section must hold a minimum of a High School Composite Certification in language arts, social studies, or history with, where practical, a minor in religion or biblical studies. A teacher selected to teach a course under this section shall successfully complete staff development training outlined in Section 2 of this act. A course under this section may only be taught by a teacher who has successfully completed training under Section 2 of this act.
(7) For the purpose of a student earning credit for high school graduation, a school district shall grant one-half (1/2) academic elective credit for satisfactory completion of a course on the Hebrew Scriptures, one-half (1/2) academic elective credit for satisfactory completion of a course on the New Testament, and one-half (1/2) academic elective credit for satisfactory completion of a combined course on both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. This subsection applies only to a course that is taught in strict compliance with this section.
(8) If, for a particular semester, fewer than fifteen (15) students at a school district campus register to enroll in a course required by this section, the district is not required to offer the course at that campus for that semester.
(9) This section does not prohibit the school board of a school district from offering an elective course based on the books of a religion other than Christianity. In determining whether to offer such a course, the board may consider various factors, including student and parent demand for such a course and the impact such books have had on history and culture.
(10) This section does not prohibit a school district from offering a course, other than the course authorized by this section, in the academic study of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, or both for local credit or for state elective credit towards high school graduation.
SECTION 2. Bible course training. (1) The State Department of Education shall develop and make available training materials and other teacher training resources for a school district to use in assisting teachers of elective Bible courses in developing:
(a) Expertise in the appropriate Bible course curriculum;
(b) Understanding of applicable Supreme Court rulings and current constitutional law regarding how Bible courses are to be taught in public schools objectively as a part of a secular program of education;
(c) Understanding of how to present the Bible in an objective, academic manner that neither promotes nor disparages religion, nor is taught from a particular sectarian point of view;
(d) Proficiency in instructional approaches that present course material in a manner that respects all faiths and religious traditions, while favoring none; and
(e) Expertise in how to avoid devotional content or proselytizing in the classroom.
(2) The State Department of Education shall develop materials and resources under this section in consultation with appropriate faculty members at state institutions of higher education.
(3) The State Department of Education shall make the training materials and other teacher training resources required under subsection (1) of this section available to Bible course teachers through access to in-service training.
(4) The State Department of Education shall use funds appropriated for the purpose to administer this section.
SECTION 3. Section 37-13-161, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-13-161. Nothing in this code shall be construed to prevent any local school board, in its discretion, from allowing references to religion or references to or the use of religious literature, history, art, music or other things having a religious significance in the public schools of such school district, when such references or uses do not constitute aid to any religious sect or sectarian purpose and when such references or uses are incidental to or illustrative of matters properly included in the course of study, or to offer elective courses on the Bible pursuant to the provisions of this act.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.
