The Texas State Board of Education has voted to mandate the inclusion of Bible passages as required reading for students in public schools. The Republican-controlled board approved the new literature list by a vote of 9-5-1 on Friday.
The approved list includes specific biblical texts such as sections from the Book of Exodus for fifth graders and The Shepherd's Psalm for seventh graders. This decision impacts over 5 million students across the state.
Discussions leading up to the vote focused on the implementation timeline and the degree of autonomy teachers would retain in selecting reading materials. Some board members expressed concerns about the mandate potentially infringing on educators' independence.
Republican board member Julie Pickren stated that the readings are intended to provide students with "important insight into the moral and philosophical traditions that have shaped Western civilization." She added that engaging directly with foundational texts allows students to "evaluate ideas and develop a deeper understanding of the principles that have shaped the USA and Texas."
However, board member Evelyn Brooks voiced opposition, arguing that the mandated list removes teacher autonomy and is potentially unconstitutional. "Teachers need to have their autonomy. They've been selecting books for decades, for years," Brooks said during the hearing. "We are simply giving them a mandated list, which I believe is unconstitutional, but regardless of what I believe, let's not take their autonomy away."
Antero Garcia, a professor at Stanford University's graduate school of education, described the move as a "substantive reshaping" of the curriculum in Texas public schools. He suggested that such a state-level initiative could potentially be adopted by other states with similar political leanings.
Garcia acknowledged the literary merit of the Bible, noting its historical significance and literary value when studied in secular and non-religious contexts. "There is literary value in reading the Bible, and I don't want to diminish that kind of obvious point," he said.
He also pointed out that the Bible is the only religious text included on the list, raising concerns that over time, this singular exposure might steer students toward Christianity. "You are going to get substantial exposure to a singular text across your public schooling experience in ways where you aren't going to get an other kind of religious text anywhere else in that mandated list," Garcia commented. "I could imagine this orienting young people towards particular kinds of dispositions that are rooted in in Christianity as a result."
The approved reading list also features works from authors such as E.B. White, Shel Silverstein, Aesop, Kurt Vonnegut, and Elie Wiesel, alongside the biblical passages.