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Senate File 139 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing
2religious scripture that school districts may offer and
3teach.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.7, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 35. Adopt rules establishing course
4standards for elective social studies courses listed in
5paragraph “a”, any of which a school district may offer and
6teach to students in grades nine through twelve subject to
7the provisions of section 279.50B. The rules shall include
8practitioner preparation and professional development
9requirements for practitioners employed by a school district to
10teach a course listed under paragraph “a”.
11a. (1) A course on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
12Testament of the Bible.
13(2) A course on the New Testament of the Bible.
14(3) A course on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament
15of the Bible and the New Testament of the Bible.
16b. A school district may offer and teach a course listed in
17paragraph “a” for all of the following purposes:
18(1) To provide students with knowledge of biblical content,
19characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to
20understanding contemporary society and culture, including but
21not limited to literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and
22public policy.
23(2) To familiarize students with, as applicable, the
24following:
25(a) The contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
26Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible.
27(b) The history of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
28Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible.
29(c) The literary style and structure of the Hebrew
30Scriptures or the Old Testament of the Bible or the New
31Testament of the Bible.
32(d) The influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
33Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible on
34law, history, government, literature, art, music, customs,
35morals, values, and culture.
-1- 1c. In complying with this subsection, the state board shall
2not violate any provision of law as defined in section 17A.2.
3A course offered and taught in accordance with this section is
4subject to federal and state guidelines regarding religious
5neutrality and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the
6perspectives of students enrolled in the school district shall
7be recognized and accommodated. A course offered and taught
8in accordance with this subsection shall not endorse, favor,
9promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any particular
10religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.50B Elective social studies
12courses — religious scripture.
131. If the board of directors of a school district considers
14and approves, by majority vote of the membership of the school
15board, a recommendation from the school improvement advisory
16committee that an elective social studies course be offered and
17taught in accordance with section 280.12, subsection 4, such a
18course may be offered and taught in the school district.
192. A student enrolled in a course offered and taught
20pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section,
21shall not be required to use a specific translation as the
22sole text for the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament
23of the Bible, or the New Testament of the Bible for the
24course, and may use instead a translation other than the text
25chosen for the course by the teacher, the school improvement
26advisory committee, the school district, or the state board of
27education.
283. A school improvement advisory committee appointed in
29accordance with section 280.12, or the principal of a school
30offering an elective social studies course in accordance with
31section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section, may authorize
32the display of historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and
33texts, including religious materials, in conjunction with
34the course if such display is appropriate to the overall
35educational purpose of the course and is consistent with the
-2-1provisions of section 280.6.
24. In offering and teaching a course in accordance with
3section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section, a school
4district shall not knowingly violate any provision of law as
5defined in section 17A.2. A course offered in accordance with
6section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section, is subject to
7federal and state guidelines regarding religious neutrality,
8and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the course so
9offered shall recognize and acknowledge the perspectives of
10students enrolled in the school district. The course shall not
11endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any
12particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
13 Sec. 3. Section 280.12, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
14following new subsection:
15 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. Consider a recommendation from the
16school improvement advisory committee that an elective social
17studies course which meets the requirements and purposes set
18forth in section 256.7, subsection 35, be offered and taught in
19the school district in accordance with section 279.50B.
20EXPLANATION
21The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
22the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
23This bill directs the state board of education to adopt
24rules establishing course standards for elective social studies
25courses on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of
26the Bible. The bill authorizes a school district to offer and
27teach such a course to students in grades 9 through 12 if the
28district’s school improvement advisory committee recommends,
29and the board of directors of the school district approves, the
30course.
31The purpose of the course must be to provide students
32with knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and
33narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary
34society and culture, and to familiarize students with the
35contents, history, literary style and structure, and influence
-3-1of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the
2Bible.
3The state board’s rules must include practitioner
4preparation and professional development requirements for
5practitioners employed by a school district to teach such a
6course.
7Under the bill, the state board and school districts are
8prohibited from violating any provision of law in complying
9with the provisions of the bill. A course offered under the
10bill is subject to federal and state guidelines regarding
11religious neutrality, and shall recognize and accommodate the
12diverse religious views, traditions, and the perspectives of
13students enrolled in the school district. Such a course shall
14not endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward,
15any particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
16If a school improvement advisory committee recommends such a
17course, the school board must consider the recommendation. To
18offer and teach such a course, the school board must approve
19the recommendation by majority vote of its membership.
20A student enrolled in such a course shall not be required
21to use a specific translation as the sole text for the Hebrew
22Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible.
23A school improvement advisory committee or the principal of
24a school offering such a course may authorize the display of
25historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and texts, including
26religious materials, in conjunction with the course if such
27display is appropriate to the overall educational purpose of
28the course and does not require a child to read religious books
29contrary to the wishes of the child’s parent or guardian.
30Under current law, religious text books such as the Bible, the
31Torah, and the Koran shall not be excluded from any public
32school.
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2religious scripture that school districts may offer and
3teach.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.7, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 35. Adopt rules establishing course
4standards for elective social studies courses listed in
5paragraph “a”, any of which a school district may offer and
6teach to students in grades nine through twelve subject to
7the provisions of section 279.50B. The rules shall include
8practitioner preparation and professional development
9requirements for practitioners employed by a school district to
10teach a course listed under paragraph “a”.
11a. (1) A course on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
12Testament of the Bible.
13(2) A course on the New Testament of the Bible.
14(3) A course on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament
15of the Bible and the New Testament of the Bible.
16b. A school district may offer and teach a course listed in
17paragraph “a” for all of the following purposes:
18(1) To provide students with knowledge of biblical content,
19characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to
20understanding contemporary society and culture, including but
21not limited to literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and
22public policy.
23(2) To familiarize students with, as applicable, the
24following:
25(a) The contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
26Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible.
27(b) The history of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
28Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible.
29(c) The literary style and structure of the Hebrew
30Scriptures or the Old Testament of the Bible or the New
31Testament of the Bible.
32(d) The influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old
33Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible on
34law, history, government, literature, art, music, customs,
35morals, values, and culture.
-1- 1c. In complying with this subsection, the state board shall
2not violate any provision of law as defined in section 17A.2.
3A course offered and taught in accordance with this section is
4subject to federal and state guidelines regarding religious
5neutrality and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the
6perspectives of students enrolled in the school district shall
7be recognized and accommodated. A course offered and taught
8in accordance with this subsection shall not endorse, favor,
9promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any particular
10religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.50B Elective social studies
12courses — religious scripture.
131. If the board of directors of a school district considers
14and approves, by majority vote of the membership of the school
15board, a recommendation from the school improvement advisory
16committee that an elective social studies course be offered and
17taught in accordance with section 280.12, subsection 4, such a
18course may be offered and taught in the school district.
192. A student enrolled in a course offered and taught
20pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section,
21shall not be required to use a specific translation as the
22sole text for the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament
23of the Bible, or the New Testament of the Bible for the
24course, and may use instead a translation other than the text
25chosen for the course by the teacher, the school improvement
26advisory committee, the school district, or the state board of
27education.
283. A school improvement advisory committee appointed in
29accordance with section 280.12, or the principal of a school
30offering an elective social studies course in accordance with
31section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section, may authorize
32the display of historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and
33texts, including religious materials, in conjunction with
34the course if such display is appropriate to the overall
35educational purpose of the course and is consistent with the
-2-1provisions of section 280.6.
24. In offering and teaching a course in accordance with
3section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section, a school
4district shall not knowingly violate any provision of law as
5defined in section 17A.2. A course offered in accordance with
6section 256.7, subsection 35, and this section, is subject to
7federal and state guidelines regarding religious neutrality,
8and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the course so
9offered shall recognize and acknowledge the perspectives of
10students enrolled in the school district. The course shall not
11endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any
12particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
13 Sec. 3. Section 280.12, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
14following new subsection:
15 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. Consider a recommendation from the
16school improvement advisory committee that an elective social
17studies course which meets the requirements and purposes set
18forth in section 256.7, subsection 35, be offered and taught in
19the school district in accordance with section 279.50B.
20EXPLANATION
21The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
22the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
23This bill directs the state board of education to adopt
24rules establishing course standards for elective social studies
25courses on the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of
26the Bible. The bill authorizes a school district to offer and
27teach such a course to students in grades 9 through 12 if the
28district’s school improvement advisory committee recommends,
29and the board of directors of the school district approves, the
30course.
31The purpose of the course must be to provide students
32with knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and
33narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary
34society and culture, and to familiarize students with the
35contents, history, literary style and structure, and influence
-3-1of the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the
2Bible.
3The state board’s rules must include practitioner
4preparation and professional development requirements for
5practitioners employed by a school district to teach such a
6course.
7Under the bill, the state board and school districts are
8prohibited from violating any provision of law in complying
9with the provisions of the bill. A course offered under the
10bill is subject to federal and state guidelines regarding
11religious neutrality, and shall recognize and accommodate the
12diverse religious views, traditions, and the perspectives of
13students enrolled in the school district. Such a course shall
14not endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward,
15any particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
16If a school improvement advisory committee recommends such a
17course, the school board must consider the recommendation. To
18offer and teach such a course, the school board must approve
19the recommendation by majority vote of its membership.
20A student enrolled in such a course shall not be required
21to use a specific translation as the sole text for the Hebrew
22Scriptures or the Old or New Testament of the Bible.
23A school improvement advisory committee or the principal of
24a school offering such a course may authorize the display of
25historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and texts, including
26religious materials, in conjunction with the course if such
27display is appropriate to the overall educational purpose of
28the course and does not require a child to read religious books
29contrary to the wishes of the child’s parent or guardian.
30Under current law, religious text books such as the Bible, the
31Torah, and the Koran shall not be excluded from any public
32school.
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