| HB 1114 - QBE; curriculum; Old and New Testament era history |
| Status Summary |
HC: |
Ed |
SC: |
|
FR: |
01/11/00 |
LA: |
03/03/00 |
H - Favorably Reported (Sub) |
First Reader Summary
A BILL to amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of
the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies
and core curriculum for elementary and secondary students under
the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide for the
offering of state funded high school courses in the History of
the Old Testament Era and the History of the New Testament Era;
and for other purposes.
| House |
Action |
Senate |
| 1/11/00 |
Read 1st Time |
|
| 1/12/00 |
Read 2nd Time |
|
| 3/3/00 |
Favorably Reported |
|
| Sub |
Committee Amend/Sub |
|
HB 1114 LC 27 1182ERS
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1- 1 To amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the
1- 2 Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies
1- 3 and core curriculum for elementary and secondary students
1- 4 under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide
1- 5 for the offering of state funded high school courses in the
1- 6 History and Literature of the Old Testament (Tanak) Era and
1- 7 the History and Literature of the New Testament Era; to
1- 8 provide for the adoption of the curricula for such courses
1- 9 by the State Board of Education; to provide for the topics
1-10 of instruction, reading materials, and methods of teaching
1-11 in such courses; to require certain training for teachers of
1-12 such courses; to provide for certain matters relating to the
1-13 employment and assignment of teachers of such courses; to
1-14 provide for the granting of academic credit for the
1-15 successful completion of such courses; to provide for the
1-16 monitoring of the content and teaching of such courses; to
1-17 define a certain term; to provide for related matters; to
1-18 provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws;
1-19 and for other purposes.
1-20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
1-21 SECTION 1.
1-22 Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official
1-23 Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies and core
1-24 curriculum for elementary and secondary students under the
1-25 "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by adding at the
1-26 end thereof a new Code section to read as follows:
1-27 "20-2-147.
1-28 (a) All public schools with grade nine or above may make
1-29 available to eligible students in grades nine through 12
1-30 an elective course in the History and Literature of the
1-31 Old Testament (Tanak) Era and an elective course in the
1-32 History and Literature of the New Testament Era. The
1-33 purpose of such courses shall be to accommodate the rights
1-34 and desires of those teachers and students who wish to
-1-
2- 1 teach and study the Old and New Testaments and to
2- 2 familiarize students with the contents of the Old and New
2- 3 Testaments, the history recorded by the Old and New
2- 4 Testaments, the literary style and structure of the Old
2- 5 and New Testaments, the customs and cultures of the
2- 6 peoples and societies recorded in the Old and New
2- 7 Testaments, and the influence of the Old and New
2- 8 Testaments upon law, history, government, literature, art,
2- 9 music, customs, morals, values, and culture.
2-10 (b)(1) No later than July 1, 2000, the State Board of
2-11 Education shall adopt curricula for each course,
2-12 including objectives, lesson plans, and reading
2-13 materials which have been prepared in accordance with
2-14 the requirements of this subsection.
2-15 (2) The topics to be included in the course in the
2-16 History and Literature of the Old Testament (Tanak) Era
2-17 may include the historical background and events of the
2-18 period; the history and lives of the patriarchs and the
2-19 history of the tribes of Israel; the historical
2-20 background and events in the life of Moses and the
2-21 exodus from Egypt; the history of the kings and Kingdom
2-22 of Israel, including the writings of King David and King
2-23 Solomon; and the influence of Old Testament (Tanak)
2-24 history and literature on subsequent art, music,
2-25 literature, law, and events. The topics to be included
2-26 in the course in the History and Literature of the New
2-27 Testament Era may include the historical background and
2-28 events of the period; the life of Jesus of Nazareth; the
2-29 parables of Jesus; the life and travels of Paul; and the
2-30 influence of New Testament history and literature on
2-31 subsequent art, music, literature, law, and events.
2-32 (3) The book or collection of books commonly known as
2-33 the Old Testament (Tanak) shall be the basic text for
2-34 the course in the History and Literature of the Old
2-35 Testament (Tanak) Era, and the book or collection of
2-36 books commonly known as the New Testament shall be the
2-37 basic text for the course in the History and Literature
2-38 of the New Testament Era. In addition, students shall
2-39 be assigned a range of reading materials for the
2-40 courses, including selections from other historical and
2-41 literary works. The courses shall familiarize students
2-42 with the customs and cultures of the times and places
2-43 referred to in the Old Testament (Tanak) and the New
2-44 Testament. The courses shall familiarize the students
-2-
3- 1 with the methods and tools of writing at the times the
3- 2 Old and New Testament books were written, the means by
3- 3 which they were preserved, the languages in which they
3- 4 were written and into which they were translated, and
3- 5 the historical and cultural events which led to the
3- 6 translation of the Old Testament (Tanak) and the New
3- 7 Testament into the English language. The local board of
3- 8 education may determine which version of the Old or New
3- 9 Testament shall be used as the main text or, if the
3-10 local board of education does not do so, that
3-11 determination may be made by the teacher of the course.
3-12 No student shall be required to use one version as the
3-13 sole text of the Old or New Testament. If a student
3-14 desires to use as the basic text a different version of
3-15 the Old or New Testament from that chosen by the local
3-16 board of education or teacher, he or she shall be
3-17 permitted to do so.
3-18 (4) The courses provided for in this Code section shall:
3-19 (A) Be taught in an objective and nondevotional manner
3-20 with no attempt made to indoctrinate the students as
3-21 to either the truth or falsity of the biblical
3-22 materials or as to the correct interpretation thereof;
3-23 (B) Not include teaching of religious doctrine or
3-24 sectarian interpretation of the Bible; and
3-25 (C) Not disparage or encourage a commitment to a set
3-26 of religious beliefs.
3-27 (c) The State Board of Education shall develop or acquire
3-28 teacher training materials and offer teacher training
3-29 programs for each of the curricula adopted pursuant to
3-30 paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section. Such
3-31 training materials and programs shall contain a segment
3-32 devoted to the freedom of religion clauses contained in
3-33 the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and
3-34 the relevant United States Supreme Court and lower court
3-35 decisions interpreting these clauses. No course may be
3-36 offered pursuant to this Code section unless the teacher
3-37 for the course has completed the applicable training
3-38 program.
3-39 (d) The provisions of this chapter relating to personnel
3-40 employed by local units of administration, including
3-41 without limitation certification requirements, employment,
3-42 and supervision, shall apply to persons who teach the
3-43 courses provided for in this Code section. In addition,
-3-
4- 1 no person shall be assigned to teach such courses based in
4- 2 whole or in part on any religious test, profession of
4- 3 faith or lack thereof, prior or present religious
4- 4 affiliation or lack of affiliation, or criteria involving
4- 5 particular beliefs or lack thereof about the Bible.
4- 6 Except for these requirements, the qualifications of
4- 7 teachers shall be determined by the local boards of
4- 8 education.
4- 9 (e) On and after August 1, 2000, for the purpose of
4-10 earning Carnegie unit curriculum credits at the high
4-11 school level, satisfactory completion of a course in the
4-12 History and Literature of the Old Testament (Tanak) Era
4-13 shall be accepted by the State Board of Education for
4-14 one-half unit of elective credit, and satisfactory
4-15 completion of a course in the History and Literature of
4-16 the New Testament Era shall be accepted by the State Board
4-17 of Education for one-half unit of elective credit;
4-18 provided, however, that such courses are taught in strict
4-19 compliance with the requirements of this Code section.
4-20 (f) A local board of education may make such arrangements
4-21 for monitoring the content and teaching of the course in
4-22 the History and Literature of the Old Testament (Tanak)
4-23 Era and the course in the History and Literature of the
4-24 New Testament Era as it deems appropriate.
4-25 (g) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to
4-26 limit the authority of a local board of education to offer
4-27 courses regarding the Old Testament (Tanak) or the New
4-28 Testament that are not in compliance with this Code
4-29 section; provided, however, that no state funds
4-30 distributed pursuant to this article shall be expended in
4-31 connection with such a course that does not meet the
4-32 requirements of this Code section.
4-33 (h) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to
4-34 prohibit local boards of education from offering elective
4-35 courses based upon the books of other religions or
4-36 societies. In determining whether to offer such courses,
4-37 the local board may consider the same factors it would
4-38 consider in determining whether to offer the Old Testament
4-39 or New Testament courses described elsewhere in this Code
4-40 Section, including, but not limited to, student and parent
4-41 demand for such courses and the impact such books have had
4-42 upon history and culture.
-4-
5- 1 (i) As used in this Code section, the term 'Tanak' means a
5- 2 book of writing composed of the Torah, the Nevi'im, and
5- 3 the Ketuvim."
5- 4 SECTION 2.
5- 5 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the
5- 6 Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
5- 7 SECTION 3.
5- 8 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
5- 9 repealed.
-5-
Clerk of the House
Robert E. Rivers, Jr., Clerk
Last Updated on 03/04/00
