Georgia Code
Part 2 - Competencies and Core Curriculum
§ 20-2-148. Elective Course in History and Literature of the Old and New Testaments; Religious Neutrality

History. Code 1981, § 20-2-148 , enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 233, § 1/SB 79; Ga. L. 2019, p. 675, § 1/SB 83.
The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, rewrote subsection (a), which read: “All public schools with grade nine or above may make available to eligible students in grades nine through 12 an elective course in the History and Literature of the Old Testament Era and an elective course in the History and Literature of the New Testament Era. The purpose of such courses shall be to accommodate the rights and desires of those teachers and students who wish to teach and study the Old and New Testaments and to familiarize students with the contents of the Old and New Testaments, the history recorded by the Old and New Testaments, the literary style and structure of the Old and New Testaments, the customs and cultures of the peoples and societies recorded in the Old and New Testaments, and the influence of the Old and New Testaments upon law, history, government, literature, art, music, customs, morals, values, and culture.”; rewrote paragraph (b)(1), which read: “No later than February 1, 2007, the State Board of Education shall adopt a curriculum for each course, including objectives, reading materials, and lesson plans, which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of this subsection.”; in paragraph (b)(2), inserted “content standards for the” at the beginning of the third and fourth sentences; rewrote subsections (d) and (e), which read: “(d) On and after July 1, 2007, for the purpose of earning Carnegie unit curriculum credits at the high school level, satisfactory completion of the course in the History and Literature of the Old Testament Era shall be accepted by the State Board of Education for one-half unit of elective credit, and satisfactory completion of the course in the History and Literature of the New Testament Era shall be accepted by the State Board of Education for one-half unit of elective credit; provided, however, that such courses are taught in strict compliance with the requirements of this Code section.
“(e) A local board of education may make such arrangements for monitoring the content and teaching of the course in the History and Literature of the Old Testament Era and the course in the History and Literature of the New Testament Era as it deems appropriate.”; and added subsection (h).
Cross references.
Religious freedom, U.S. Const., amend. I.
Religious opinions and freedom of religion, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Para. IV.

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