A bill that would make Bible courses available in Tennessee schools is moving forward through the state Legislature. The bill, HB 2174, would require the Department of Education to make Bible course curriculums available on its website and adaptable by the Local Education Association (LEA). The bill was discussed on Wednesday and is now placed on the Education Instruction and Programs Subcommittee calendar for Feb. 21, where it will again be discussed. Basically, the measure would require the DOE to let schools know that Bible courses are available. Here are a few more specifics of the bill:

1. Identify each LEA that has developed a Bible course curriculum that has been approved by the department and that is available for adoption by another LEA
2. Inform each LEA that the Bible course curriculums, developed by an LEA identified in the notice, are available for adoption by another LEA without further approval by the department, and that each of the approved curriculums may be accessed from the department’s website
3. Inform each LEA that it may adopt its own Bible course curriculum if the curriculum is approved as a special course according to the rules of the state board of education; or adopt any of the Bible course curriculums developed by any LEA identified in the department’s notice