House passes bill allowing state-funded Bible courses

[Soldier4Christ]

Public high schools may offer state-funded courses on the Bible under legislation overwhelmingly approved Monday by the Georgia House.

“This is already being done in several states,” said state Rep. James Mills (R-Gainesville). “It’s passed Supreme Court muster.”

The bill passed 151 to 7 and now goes back to the Senate for final approval.

In committee, some House members voiced concern that the measure favors Christianity over other religions. But no House member rose to speak against it Monday.

Senate Bill 79, sponsored by state Sen. Tommie Williams (R-Lyons), requires the State Board of Education to adopt curricula for two electives—- “History and Literature of the Old Testament Era” and “History and Literature of the New Testament Era” —- by the middle of next school year.

The bill does not mandate that school systems offer the course or that students attend the class.

While the bill specifies that the courses must be taught in an “objective and nondevotional” manner, the exclusion of other religious books makes it objectionable, Maggie Garrett, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, has said.