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House File 2031 - 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 2018, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 33. 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 279.50A. 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.
12(2) A course on the New Testament of the Bible.
13(3) A course on the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament
14of the Bible.
15b. A school district may offer and teach a course listed in
16paragraph “a” for all of the following purposes:
17(1) To provide students with knowledge of biblical content,
18characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to
19understanding contemporary society and culture, including but
20not limited to literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and
21public policy.
22(2) To familiarize students with, as applicable, the
23following:
24(a) The contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or the New
25Testament of the Bible.
26(b) The history of the Hebrew Scriptures or the New
27Testament of the Bible.
28(c) The literary style and structure of the Hebrew
29Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible.
30(d) The influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament
31of the Bible on law, history, government, literature, art,
32music, customs, morals, values, and culture.
33c. In complying with this subsection, the state board shall
34not violate any provision of law as defined in section 17A.2.
35A course offered and taught in accordance with this section is
-1-1subject to federal and state guidelines regarding religious
2neutrality and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the
3perspectives of students enrolled in the school district shall
4be recognized and accommodated. A course offered and taught
5in accordance with this subsection shall not endorse, favor,
6promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any particular
7religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
8 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.50A Elective social studies
9courses — religious scripture.
101. If the board of directors of a school district considers
11and approves, by majority vote of the membership of the school
12board, a recommendation from the school improvement advisory
13committee that an elective social studies course be offered and
14taught in accordance with section 280.12, subsection 4, such a
15course may be offered and taught in the school district.
162. A student enrolled in a course offered and taught
17pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section,
18shall not be required to use a specific translation as the sole
19text for the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the
20Bible for the course, and may use instead a translation other
21than the text chosen for the course by the teacher, the school
22improvement advisory committee, the school district, or the
23state board of education.
243. A school improvement advisory committee appointed in
25accordance with section 280.12, or the principal of a school
26offering an elective social studies course in accordance with
27section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section, may authorize
28the display of historic artifacts, monuments, symbols and
29texts, including but not limited to religious materials, in
30conjunction with the course if such display is appropriate to
31the overall educational purpose of the course and is consistent
32with the provisions of section 280.6.
334. In offering and teaching a course in accordance with
34section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section, a school
35district shall not knowingly violate any provision of law as
-2-1defined in section 17A.2. A course offered in accordance with
2section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section, is subject to
3federal and state guidelines regarding religious neutrality,
4and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the course so
5offered shall recognize and acknowledge the perspectives of
6students enrolled in the school district. The course shall not
7endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any
8particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
9 Sec. 3. Section 280.12, Code 2018, is amended by adding the
10following new subsection:
11 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. Consider a recommendation from the
12school improvement advisory committee that an elective social
13studies course which meets the requirements and purposes set
14forth in section 256.7, subsection 33, be offered and taught in
15the school district in accordance with section 279.50A.
16EXPLANATION
17The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
18the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
19This bill directs the state board of education to adopt
20rules establishing course standards for elective social studies
21courses on the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the
22Bible. The bill authorizes a school district to offer and
23teach such a course to students in grades 9 through 12 if the
24district’s school improvement advisory committee recommends,
25and the board of directors of the school district approves, the
26course.
27The purpose of the course must be to provide students
28with knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and
29narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary
30society and culture, and to familiarize students with the
31contents, history, literary style and structure, and influence
32of the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible.
33The state board’s rules must include practitioner
34preparation and professional development requirements for
35practitioners employed by a school district to teach such a
-3-1course.
2Under the bill, the state board and school districts are
3prohibited from violating any provision of law in complying
4with the provisions of the bill. A course offered under the
5bill is subject to federal and state guidelines regarding
6religious neutrality, and shall recognize and accommodate the
7diverse religious views, traditions, and the perspectives of
8students enrolled in the school district. Such a course shall
9not endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward,
10any particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
11If a school improvement advisory committee recommends such a
12course, the school board must consider the recommendation. To
13offer and teach such a course, the school board must approve
14the recommendation by majority vote of its membership.
15A student enrolled in such a course shall not be required
16to use a specific translation as the sole text for the Hebrew
17Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible.
18A school improvement advisory committee or the principal of
19a school offering such a course may authorize the display of
20historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and texts, including
21but not limited to religious materials, in conjunction with
22the course if such display is appropriate to the overall
23educational purpose of the course and does not require a child
24to read religious books contrary to the wishes of the child’s
25parent or guardian. Under current law, religious text books
26such as the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran shall not be
27excluded from any public school.
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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 2018, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 33. 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 279.50A. 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.
12(2) A course on the New Testament of the Bible.
13(3) A course on the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament
14of the Bible.
15b. A school district may offer and teach a course listed in
16paragraph “a” for all of the following purposes:
17(1) To provide students with knowledge of biblical content,
18characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to
19understanding contemporary society and culture, including but
20not limited to literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and
21public policy.
22(2) To familiarize students with, as applicable, the
23following:
24(a) The contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or the New
25Testament of the Bible.
26(b) The history of the Hebrew Scriptures or the New
27Testament of the Bible.
28(c) The literary style and structure of the Hebrew
29Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible.
30(d) The influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament
31of the Bible on law, history, government, literature, art,
32music, customs, morals, values, and culture.
33c. In complying with this subsection, the state board shall
34not violate any provision of law as defined in section 17A.2.
35A course offered and taught in accordance with this section is
-1-1subject to federal and state guidelines regarding religious
2neutrality and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the
3perspectives of students enrolled in the school district shall
4be recognized and accommodated. A course offered and taught
5in accordance with this subsection shall not endorse, favor,
6promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any particular
7religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
8 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.50A Elective social studies
9courses — religious scripture.
101. If the board of directors of a school district considers
11and approves, by majority vote of the membership of the school
12board, a recommendation from the school improvement advisory
13committee that an elective social studies course be offered and
14taught in accordance with section 280.12, subsection 4, such a
15course may be offered and taught in the school district.
162. A student enrolled in a course offered and taught
17pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section,
18shall not be required to use a specific translation as the sole
19text for the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the
20Bible for the course, and may use instead a translation other
21than the text chosen for the course by the teacher, the school
22improvement advisory committee, the school district, or the
23state board of education.
243. A school improvement advisory committee appointed in
25accordance with section 280.12, or the principal of a school
26offering an elective social studies course in accordance with
27section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section, may authorize
28the display of historic artifacts, monuments, symbols and
29texts, including but not limited to religious materials, in
30conjunction with the course if such display is appropriate to
31the overall educational purpose of the course and is consistent
32with the provisions of section 280.6.
334. In offering and teaching a course in accordance with
34section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section, a school
35district shall not knowingly violate any provision of law as
-2-1defined in section 17A.2. A course offered in accordance with
2section 256.7, subsection 33, and this section, is subject to
3federal and state guidelines regarding religious neutrality,
4and the diverse religious views, traditions, and the course so
5offered shall recognize and acknowledge the perspectives of
6students enrolled in the school district. The course shall not
7endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward, any
8particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
9 Sec. 3. Section 280.12, Code 2018, is amended by adding the
10following new subsection:
11 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. Consider a recommendation from the
12school improvement advisory committee that an elective social
13studies course which meets the requirements and purposes set
14forth in section 256.7, subsection 33, be offered and taught in
15the school district in accordance with section 279.50A.
16EXPLANATION
17The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
18the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
19This bill directs the state board of education to adopt
20rules establishing course standards for elective social studies
21courses on the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the
22Bible. The bill authorizes a school district to offer and
23teach such a course to students in grades 9 through 12 if the
24district’s school improvement advisory committee recommends,
25and the board of directors of the school district approves, the
26course.
27The purpose of the course must be to provide students
28with knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and
29narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary
30society and culture, and to familiarize students with the
31contents, history, literary style and structure, and influence
32of the Hebrew Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible.
33The state board’s rules must include practitioner
34preparation and professional development requirements for
35practitioners employed by a school district to teach such a
-3-1course.
2Under the bill, the state board and school districts are
3prohibited from violating any provision of law in complying
4with the provisions of the bill. A course offered under the
5bill is subject to federal and state guidelines regarding
6religious neutrality, and shall recognize and accommodate the
7diverse religious views, traditions, and the perspectives of
8students enrolled in the school district. Such a course shall
9not endorse, favor, promote, or disfavor, or be hostile toward,
10any particular religion, faith, or nonreligious perspective.
11If a school improvement advisory committee recommends such a
12course, the school board must consider the recommendation. To
13offer and teach such a course, the school board must approve
14the recommendation by majority vote of its membership.
15A student enrolled in such a course shall not be required
16to use a specific translation as the sole text for the Hebrew
17Scriptures or the New Testament of the Bible.
18A school improvement advisory committee or the principal of
19a school offering such a course may authorize the display of
20historic artifacts, monuments, symbols, and texts, including
21but not limited to religious materials, in conjunction with
22the course if such display is appropriate to the overall
23educational purpose of the course and does not require a child
24to read religious books contrary to the wishes of the child’s
25parent or guardian. Under current law, religious text books
26such as the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran shall not be
27excluded from any public school.
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