Texas Education Commissioner Seeks AG's Opinion On Bible Courses

Yesterday's El Paso (TX) Times reports that Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott has asked the state's attorney general for an interpretation of a new law that provides for elective high school courses on the Bible's impact on history and literature. (See prior posting.) The opinion request (full text) asks whether schools are required to offer such courses beginning next year, or whether the new law is merely permissive. Scott says the issue is complicated by the fact that the law requires the courses be taught only by teachers who have completed special training. However no funds have been appropriated by the legislature for the development of training materials.