This bill amends Iowa law to allow school districts to offer elective social studies courses focused on religious scripture, specifically the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, and the New Testament. The state board of education is tasked with establishing course standards, which must include practitioner preparation and professional development requirements for teachers. The courses aim to provide students in grades nine through twelve with knowledge of biblical content and its influence on contemporary society, culture, and various fields such as literature and art. The bill emphasizes that these courses must adhere to federal and state guidelines regarding religious neutrality and must not endorse or favor any particular religion or nonreligious perspective.

Additionally, the bill outlines the process for a school district to offer such courses, requiring a recommendation from the school improvement advisory committee and approval by a majority vote of the school board. It specifies that students are not required to use a specific translation of the scriptures and allows for the display of historic artifacts and religious materials in a manner consistent with the educational purpose of the course. The bill also reinforces that the inclusion of religious texts in public schools is permissible under current law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256.7, 280.12