A proposal before the Texas State Board of Education could make Bible stories required reading for more than 5 million public school students, marking a significant expansion of religious content in the state's curriculum. A final vote on the plan is scheduled for Friday.
Critics of the proposal argue it violates the constitutional separation of church and state and promotes Christianity over other faiths, while supporters contend that Judeo-Christian traditions are foundational to the nation's history and should be reflected in education.
This move follows other recent religious initiatives in Texas schools. In 2023, the state became the largest to require the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Earlier, Texas was the first state to permit the hiring of chaplains for student counseling, and the board narrowly approved an optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools in 2024.
If approved, the new reading list would take effect in 2030. For elementary students, the proposed readings include picture-book stories such as "Noah's Ark," "David and Goliath," and "Daniel and the Lion's Den." By fourth grade, students would be exposed to passages from the New Testament concerning Jesus. Middle school students would read additional passages about Jesus, including parts of his "sermon on the mount," and readings connecting the Book of Lamentations to the Holocaust. High school students would encounter texts like the parable of the prodigal son, portions of the Book of Job, and the story of Adam and Eve.
Education observers suggest that Texas may be pioneering a state-mandated reading list that specifically includes religious texts. Typically, educators at the district and school levels select reading materials. Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America's Freedom to Read program, stated that such a mandated list would be unique to Texas, distinguishing it from states with recommended or advised reading lists.
The proposed curriculum primarily draws from the King James Bible and more recent evangelical translations. Concerns have been raised by critics about the potential for these translations to present a Christian-centric interpretation of the texts. Additionally, questions have been raised about the appropriateness of teaching religious stories in a public school system serving students of diverse faiths, including Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as atheist and agnostic students. Frank Strong, an English and journalism teacher and co-founder of the student advocacy group Texas Freedom to Read, noted the absence of texts from other religious traditions in the proposed list.