Texas AG agrees with ACLU of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                               

August 28, 2008

Contact:  Dotty Griffith, Public Education Director

(512) 478-7300 x 106; (512) 923-1909; [email protected]

Texas Attorney General Agrees with ACLU of Texas Position on Bible Courses in Public Schools

Texas School Districts Not Required to Offer Bible Course

AUSTIN, TX – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s opinion affirms the ACLU of Texas position that Texas public school districts and charter schools are not required to offer an elective course on the Bible.

ACLU of Texas Executive Director Terri Burke applauded the Attorney General for what she called “a common sense reading” of the Legislature’s intent.  “We believe that parents should have the final word about how and what religious values their children are taught, so we are pleased that local school districts won’t be forced into the difficult position of having to teach a Bible course.”

The Attorney General issued his opinion Thursday that changes to the Education Code passed in the 2007 legislative session do not require Texas school districts to offer an elective Bible course.  The opinion accorded with the ACLU of Texas’ position, outlined in an April letter brief, that the Attorney General should affirm the new law’s plain meaning that school districts “may,” but are not required to, teach a Bible course.

“Even assuming the Bible curriculum described in the law could be taught in a way that comports with the First Amendment’s requirements of religious neutrality, the legislature clearly left it to each district and charter school to determine for itself whether to offer the course at all,” said Lisa Graybill, Legal Director of the ACLU of Texas.

See the Attorney General's ruling. 

To learn about the ACLU of Texas, please go to www.aclutx.org.

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