PRINTER'S NO. 4548
No. 2828 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY BASTIAN, ROHRER, BAKER, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, CAUSER, CLYMER, EVERETT, FLECK, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GRUCELA, HERSHEY, HESS, KENNEY, KORTZ, McILHATTAN, METCALFE, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROCK, SIPTROTH, SONNEY, STERN, R. STEVENSON, SWANGER AND GEIST, OCTOBER 15, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, OCTOBER 15, 2008
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An 2 act relating to the public school system, including certain 3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial 4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the 5 laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study, 6 providing for academic study of the Bible. 7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 8 hereby enacts as follows: 9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known 10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a 11 section to read: 12 Section 1551. Academic Study of Bible.--(a) The General 13 Assembly finds and declares as follows: 14 (1) The Bible has had an unparalleled influence on our 15 literature, art, music, history and culture. As just one 16 example, there are more than one thousand three hundred (1,300) 17 Biblical references in the works of Shakespeare. 18 (2) While it is worthwhile to study the great works of any
1 religious tradition to provide perspective on their societal 2 influence, knowledge of the Bible as a literary work is critical 3 to a good education. Loss of Bible knowledge is currently 4 harming students' ability to fully comprehend some of the most 5 important contributions to our cultural heritage. 6 (3) As noted by Justice Clark in the decision of the United 7 States Supreme Court in Abington Township v. Schempp, "It 8 certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its 9 literary historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates 10 that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented 11 objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not 12 be effected consistently with the First Amendment." 13 (4) In order to provide an opportunity to study the Bible in 14 a manner which comports with the guarantees of both the 15 Constitution of Pennsylvania and the Constitution of the United 16 States, it is in the best interests of Pennsylvania's students 17 for the Department of Education to develop standards for an 18 elective course on the Bible for secondary schools. 19 (b) (1) The Department of Education shall establish 20 standards for a course in Biblical literacy which studies, from 21 a secular perspective, the impact of the Bible on literature, 22 art, music, history and culture. The course shall present 23 information in an objective and non-devotional manner in 24 compliance with the requirements of both the Constitution of 25 Pennsylvania and the Constitution of the United States. 26 (2) The Department of Education shall make the standards 27 available to each school district in this Commonwealth and shall 28 assist school districts by providing resource information on the 29 academic study of the Bible. 30 (3) Within fourteen (14) months of the effective date of 20080H2828B4548 - 2 -
1 this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 2 Education shall prepare and submit to the Governor and the 3 General Assembly a report on the status of the academic study of 4 the Bible in this Commonwealth. 5 (c) Each school district may offer, in compliance with the 6 standards established by the Department of Education in 7 subsection (b), a course in the academic study of the Bible as 8 an elective to students in grades eleven and twelve. No student 9 shall be required to take this course. 10 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. I17L24DMS/20080H2828B4548 - 3 -