Elective But Essential: Reflecting on 12 Years of Bible Courses in Arkansas Public Schools
This month marks 12 years since the Arkansas House of Representatives passed legislation clarifying that public schools may offer elective, academic courses on the Bible.
Act 1440 of 2013 — which was sponsored by Rep. Denny Altes (R — Fort Smith) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch) and enacted under Governor Mike Beebe — lets public schools offer elective, academic courses that study “the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics.”
The law says the course must be objective and nonsectarian, and it must meet the same academic standards as other elective courses offered in public schools. Anyone wishing to teach the course must be licensed to teach in the State of Arkansas.
In 2019 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1016 by Rep. Joe Cloud (R — Russellville), Rep. Jim Dotson (R — Bentonville), and Sen. Bob Ballinger (R — Ozark). Act 1016 helped make technical clarifications to Act 1440 of 2013.
Since Act 1440’s passage, the Arkansas Department of Education has outlined curriculum frameworks for the academic study of the Bible the same way it does for other classes.
The department’s academic framework for Academic Study of the Bible says,
Academic Study of the Bible is a one-semester English elective course that is designed to strengthen students’ understanding of the Bible and its impact upon American culture. This nonsectarian, nonreligious, academic course integrates the study of the Bible as a piece of literature with art, music, literature, culture, and politics in order to understand the relationships between the Bible, society, and culture. As an English Language Arts elective, it is expected that students will develop and apply literacy skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The Academic Study of the Bible course does not need Arkansas Department of Education approval.
Over the past 12 years, different school districts in the state have chosen to offer academic courses on the Bible under this type of official state framework.
Courts have said the U.S. Constitution does not prevent public school students from being taught about the Bible and its significance throughout human history, provided that the instruction is neutral and educational.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1980 Stone v. Graham decision went so far as to say, “the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like.”
This year lawmakers are considering S.B. 223, the Religious Rights at Public School Act by by Sen. Mark Johnson (R — Little Rock) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs). This good bill affirms public school students’ and teachers’ religious liberties.
The bill does not create any new rights or freedoms, but it does identify existing religious freedoms that are already protected by state and federal law — such as the freedom to pray, discuss religion, or read the Bible during free time at school.
The bill also highlights the freedom that schools have to offer academic courses on the Bible under Act 1440 of 2013.
S.B. 223 does not change any laws about the academic study of the Bible in Arkansas, but it does help draw attention to the fact that state law and U.S. Supreme Court rulings let public schools offer these elective courses.
Arkansas law makes it clear the purpose of studying the Bible in these classes is to understand its impact on our culture.
After all, no single book has been more influential over our civilization than the Bible.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
