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Arizona Governor Signs Bill to Allow Bible Classes in Public Schools

  • Religion Today Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Published Apr 19, 2012

April 20, 2012

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed into law a bill allowing the establishing of elective classes that focus on the Bible and its influence on Western civilization, the Christian Post reports. House Bill 2563, sponsored by state Rep. Terri Proud, passed the state Senate last Thursday 21 to 9 and was signed by Brewer on Tuesday. According to the bill, "a school district or charter school may offer an elective course pertaining to how the Bible has influenced Western culture for pupils in grades nine through 12. A teacher who instructs a course offered under this section in its appropriate historical context and in good faith shall be immune from civil liability and disciplinary action." The Bible class elective would teach students, among other things, the contents and history of the Old and New Testaments and their influence on "laws, history, government, literature, art, music, customs, morals, values and culture." Arizona is the sixth state to pass such a law, joining Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina.