A state bill that aims to prevent religious indoctrination in schools is headed to the governor’s desk.

The bill’s advancement through the state legislature follows months of concern centered around a middle school social studies on Islam. The state Senate passed the bill Monday and the state House passed the bill last month.

The bill gives local school districts more say on how to teach religion in public schools.

If signed into law, local school boards will have to set policy as early as this summer on how to include religion in curriculum and instructional material. The bill will also require teachers in core subjects to provide a class syllabus.

Bill sponsor Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, said he filed the bill to address parent concerns.

Many of those concerns came from a seventh-grade social studies unit where students learn about the rise and spread of the Islamic civilization. Some parents claimed the unit included examples of indoctrination and inaccurately portrayed Islam as a peaceful religion. Others took issue with textbooks and other teaching material used in class.

Students in sixth and seventh grades cover major world religions in the context of history.

The parental concern prompted some county and local school officials to consider resolutions or enact measures to prevent religious indoctrination in schools. The resolutions were usually met with contentious debate about the need for the resolutions.

In contrast the bill has advanced smoothly through the state legislature — except for minor language amendments and an initial misconception that the bill would eliminate religion from history education.

Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, co-sponsors the bill. The state Senate voted 29-1 to pass the bill.