1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; providing for instruction in competing scientific theories as 
1.3 	part of school curriculum;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.20.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.20, is amended to read:
1.6 	120B.20 PARENTAL CURRICULUM REVIEW.
1.7 	(a) Each school district shall have a procedure for a parent, guardian, or an adult 
1.8 	student, 18 years of age or older, to review the content of the instructional materials to 
1.9 	be provided to a minor child or to an adult student and, if the parent, guardian, or adult 
1.10 	student objects to the content, to make reasonable arrangements with school personnel for 
1.11 	alternative instruction. Alternative instruction may be provided by the parent, guardian, 
1.12 	or adult student if the alternative instruction, if any, offered by the school board does 
1.13 	not meet the concerns of the parent, guardian, or adult student. The school board is not 
1.14 	required to pay for the costs of alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or 
1.15 	adult student. School personnel may not impose an academic or other penalty upon a 
1.16 	student merely for arranging alternative instruction under this section. School personnel 
1.17 	may evaluate and assess the quality of the student's work.
1.18 	(b) Each school district must allow teachers to provide instruction in competing 
1.19 	scientific theories as part of the school curriculum. Upon receiving a written statement 
1.20 	from the parent of an enrolled student or a petition signed by at least 50 electors of the 
1.21 	district, the local school board must hold a timely public hearing on whether instruction in 
1.22 	competing scientific theories is present or absent from school curriculum. At the hearing, 
1.23 	the school board must allow all interested parties equal opportunity to present arguments 
1.24 	on the presence or absence of instruction in competing scientific theories in the school 
2.1 	curriculum. The school board decision is final and must: (1) be based on the record; 
2.2 	(2) be in writing; and (3) state the controlling facts on which the decision is made in 
2.3 	sufficient detail to inform the parties and the commissioner of the basis for the board's 
2.4 	decision. The school board must transmit a copy of its decision to the commissioner. A 
2.5 	school board must pay the cost of adding instruction in competing scientific theories to the 
2.6 	school curriculum under this paragraph. 

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2008-2009 school year and 
2.8 	later.