Kentucky has a new law taking effect Thursday that will allow public schools to teach Bible classes throughout the state, raising concern from many watchdog groups.
Kentucky Republican Gov. Matt Bevin signed the “Bible Literacy Bill” Tuesday, giving public schools in the entire state of Kentucky permission to start teaching Bible classes. Teachers created these classes to “establish an elective social studies course on the Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament of the Bible, the New Testament, or a combination of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament of the Bible,” according to the bill.
However, several watchdog groups are worried that these classes could quickly turn unconstitutional if teachers start preaching instead of teaching.
“Right now the language of the bill is very vague and the Kentucky Department of Education has not yet put together a curriculum,” Amber Duke, member of the Kentucky ACLU, told NBC. “The concern, though, is that you could have a curriculum that is constitutional and could be delivered in a manner that is not constitutional.”
Several other states, including Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama, have been trying to pass similar legislation for years, but largely without success.
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