. . . the attorney general's opinion still held that some instruction on the impact of the Bible on history and literature must be provided in every high school's curriculum.
-- From "Bible study class optional for Texas schools, attorney general says" by Terrence Stutz, The Dallas Morning News 8/29/08
Texas high schools will not be required to offer an elective Bible course to their students under a Bible study bill approved by the Legislature last year, Attorney General Greg Abbott decided on Thursday.
While his legal opinion said schools must include some coverage of the Bible's impact on history and literature in their curriculum, they do not have to offer a separate Bible course unless the local school boards choose to do so.
Lawmakers and various citizen groups had been waiting for the opinion to clear up confusion over what the 2007 law required. Most legislators, including the Republican chairman of the House Public Education Committee, said the Bible course was optional for school districts, but some of the original sponsors of the bill said it was mandatory.
The attorney general's opinion also affirmed the authority of the State Board of Education to approve curriculum standards for "enrichment" courses such as the elective Bible class.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
