Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa). His position on abstaining from chametz is currently unknown.

The quest to get religion on the school curriculum has hit an odd but telling snag. An extraordinary passage in the notice announcing tomorrow’s meeting of the House Public Education Committee reads, “Note Regarding HB 1287: It is the intention of the committee to hear
testimony from those witnesses who, for religious reasons, were unable to attend the hearing of this bill on April 3.”

House Bill 1287 is Rep. Warren Chisum‘s, R-Pampa, bill to bring back Bible studies. It would force school districts to provide as an elective course for credit that teaches “A) the contents of the Old or New Testament; B) the history recorded by the Old or New Testament” to ninth graders and up. So why are they having to reopen public testimony?

Well, the bill was last heard at committee’s April 3 meeting, but it seems someone forgot that April 3 was the first full day of Passover and therefore a major Jewish holiday. Bit embarrassing for the bill’s sponsor, still stinging from his connection to the “Science is a Jewish conspiracy” debacle.

This article appears in April 6 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.