State education officials in Kentucky are seeking public input in developing Bible literacy standards for social studies courses in public schools.
Kentucky lawmakers enacted a bill this year that requires state education officials to set guidelines for local schools that choose to offer the elective courses. The courses can include the study of Hebrew scriptures and the Old Testament and New Testament of the Bible. The courses will focus on the historical impact and literary style of those religious texts. The goal is to teach students about biblical content, characters, poetry and narratives in a way that helps them understand contemporary society and culture.
The Kentucky Department of Education says the public is invited to review and offer feedback and suggestions that could be used to refine the proposed standards.