A Florida lawmaker is making national headlines for wanting to mandate bible study classes in public schools.
Nothing like that is on the agenda here in Texas this legislative session, because it's already on the books.
“In 2007, a law was passed making it very clear that public school districts can have a course where they teach about the history and significance of old and new testament,” says Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values.
“They're not required to have a course,” he says. “But they are required to have some teaching where they touch upon the religious history or literature related to the Bible, because Harvard scholars and others have recognized the significance of having that background.”
This year, Texas state Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, introduced a bill to allow the Ten Commandments inside classrooms.
“House Bill 307 is just making it clear that if a teacher wants to have something posted that shows the Ten Commandments, they're not banned from doing that,” says Saenz.
Most legal scholars believe it falls within separation of church and state.