Amend CSHB 1287 by striking all below the enacting clause and
substituting the following:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.011 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.011. ELECTIVE COURSES ON THE BIBLE'S HEBREW
SCRIPTURES (OLD TESTAMENT) AND NEW TESTAMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON
THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. (a) A school
district shall offer to students in grade nine or above:
(1) an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old
Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New
Testament and its impact; or
(2) an elective course that combines the courses
described by Subdivision (1).
(b) The purpose of a course under this section is to:
(1) 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
(2) familiarize students with, as applicable:
(A) the contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or New
Testament;
(B) the history of the Hebrew Scriptures or New
Testament;
(C) the literary style and structure of the
Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament; and
(D) the influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or New
Testament on law, history, government, literature, art, music,
customs, morals, values, and culture.
(c) Notwithstanding Sections 28.002(c) and 31.022,
respectively, for a course under this section, the State Board of
Education or the agency may not:
(1) identify the essential knowledge and skills; or
(2) adopt textbooks under Chapter 31.
(d) The book or collection of books commonly known as the
Hebrew Scriptures shall be used as the primary source textbook for a
course on the Hebrew Scriptures. The book or collection of books
commonly known as the New Testament shall be used as the primary
source textbook for a course on the New Testament. A school district
may select a supporting textbook or curriculum materials to
accompany the primary source textbooks, and students may be
assigned a range of reading materials for the courses, including
selections from secular historical and cultural works and
selections from religious and cultural traditions other than the
Jewish and Christian traditions.
(e) 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
board of trustees of the student's school district or the student's
teacher.
(f) A course offered under this section must be taught in an
objective and nondevotional manner that does not attempt to
indoctrinate students in any religion or nonreligious system of
belief. Nothing in a course offered under this section is intended
to violate any provision of the United States Constitution, federal
law, or the Texas Constitution.
(g) A teacher of a course offered under this section is
entitled to training in connection with the chosen curriculum at a
level equal to that provided to teachers of other elective courses.
(h) For the purpose of a student earning credit for high
school graduation, a school district shall grant one-half academic
elective credit for satisfactory completion of a course on the
Hebrew Scriptures, one-half academic elective credit for
satisfactory completion of a course on the New Testament, and
one-half 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.
(i) If, for a particular semester, fewer than 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.
(j) This section does not prohibit the board of trustees of
a school district from offering an elective course based on the
books of a religion or society other than one with Jewish or
Christian traditions. 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.
SECTION 2. Section 28.002(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through
grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
(1) a foundation curriculum that includes:
(A) English language arts;
(B) mathematics;
(C) science; and
(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United
States, and world history, government, and geography; and
(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:
(A) to the extent possible, languages other than
English;
(B) health, with emphasis on the importance of
proper nutrition and exercise;
(C) physical education;
(D) fine arts;
(E) economics, with emphasis on the free
enterprise system and its benefits;
(F) career and technology education; [and]
(G) technology applications; and
(H) the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New
Testament and their impact on the history and literature of western
civilization as provided by Section 28.011.
SECTION 3. A school district shall offer a course on the
Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and its impact and a course on the
New Testament and its impact, or a combined course in those
subjects, as required by Section 28.011, Education Code, as added
by this Act, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2007.