Arkansas Department of Education Offers Guidelines for Academic Bible Classes
Recently we wrote about how the State of Arkansas lets public schools students learn about the Bible academically in elective classes.
In 2013 Arkansas passed Act 1440 by Rep. Denny Altes (R — Fort Smith) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch) to let 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.
This year lawmakers passed S.B. 223, the Religious Rights at Public School Act by Sen. Mark Johnson (R — Little Rock) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs). This good law affirms public school students’ and teachers’ religious liberties, and it highlights the freedom that schools have to offer academic courses on the Bible under Act 1440 of 2013.
Under laws like these, the Arkansas Department of Education has written an academic framework for schools to use in structuring their Bible course.
The department’s academic framework 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.
The academic framework also notes that the Bible courses must be taught objectively.
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.
This year, Arkansas Department of Education data shows 264 public school students enrolled in courses to study the Bible academically.
It’s good to see Arkansas’ schools offering these academic courses on the Bible to students across the state. After all, no single book has been more influential on our civilization than the Bible.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
