More than 5 million Texas public school students could soon be required to study Bible stories and verses as part of their K-12 curriculum, as the majority-Republican Texas State Board of Education prepares to vote Friday on a measure that critics say violates the separation of church and state and infringes on parental rights.
The proposal would establish Biblical children's stories and Bible verses as required reading across grade levels. Second-graders would be taught "ROAR! – Daniel and the Lion's Den," while elementary students would read a picture-book adaptation of the David and Goliath story. Older students would study Bible passages about Adam and Eve, and sixth-graders would learn "The Shepherd's Psalm" from the Book of Psalms alongside religious writings from George Washington and poems by Langston Hughes and Robert Frost. The changes would take effect in 2030.
Who Bears the Burden
About a third of adults in Texas identify as non-Christian, according to Pew Research Center surveys from 2023-2024. Board member Tiffany Clark, a Christian and Democrat who represents parts of Dallas-Fort Worth, has vocally opposed the proposed curriculum, saying she and some of her Christian constituents believe "Bible lessons should be taught on Sundays." Clark fears the emphasis on Christian texts would alienate children from other religious backgrounds and prevent their parents from solely shaping their religious education.
The proposed curriculum mandates specific Bible translations, including the King James Bible, which is widely used by Protestant and Evangelical churches but is avoided by the Roman Catholic Church. "Not all of us believe the same," Clark said, noting that Christian denominations reference different translations of the Bible and at times differ in their interpretations.
Kimmie Fink, the mother of an active-duty military family stationed in Texas, told the board, "I would like to believe that my children's constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom rights will remain intact wherever we are stationed. Is this not the case in Texas, a state that champions parents' rights? In Texas, parents have the fundamental legal right to direct the moral and religious upbringing of their children without state interference. The proposed literary works trample on this right."
Constitutional Concerns and Educational Impact
Rabbi Joshua Fixler with Congregation Emanu El in Houston said teachers may be put in a position to teach religious texts they are not familiar or comfortable with. "This list is full of Christian texts that are inappropriate for public school classrooms. As a rabbi and a parent of Jewish kids, I think it is vital that this board make a distinction between teaching about religion and teaching religion. This list will force teachers to cross that line," he said.
Though parents would have the option to opt their children out of some of the required teachings, Clark said missing lessons could impact students' test scores. Because the texts would be part of the curriculum, they could be included on standardized testing, potentially impacting the school district's test record if students do not perform well.
At the same meeting, the school board will take up a vote to rewrite the state's social studies curriculum, focusing more on Texas and US history and deemphasizing some teachings about global history and cultures. The change would eliminate a sixth grade "World Cultures" course and significantly expand lessons on communism.
Supporters' Arguments
Supporters argue the Bible should be studied as an essential literary text that can help students understand Western history and the founding of the US. Susan Perez, founder of a Christian parent advocacy group, Citizens for Education Reform, said at a school board meeting Monday, "We don't have to incorporate every religious belief in our history or in our literary works, because our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values." Perez pointed out Christian references in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, which was signed in "the Year of Our Lord" 1787.
Former public school administrator Nancy Barker told the board, "They are being used as literary and historical content rather than religious instruction. The Bible references will provide students with the background knowledge you will need to understand the books, the speeches, poems and important documents that have shaped our civilization."
One mother who spoke before the school board Monday in support of the proposal said she believes Texas has always stood for "giving our kids the knowledge they need to succeed." She said, "Keeping biblical references in our social studies standards isn't about pushing my religion, it's about giving our students a complete education here and making sure they understand the history."
A National Trend
Texas has emerged as a leader in a national conservative effort to infuse Christian teachings into American classrooms. In recent years, Texas leaders have broadly eliminated studies of racial and cultural diversity while expanding the schools' abilities to introduce Christianity to students. In 2023, the state became the first to allow chaplains to counsel students, and the following year approved a measure that offered more funding to schools that teach an optional Bible-infused elementary school curriculum.
The state's education code already requires K-12 schools to teach "religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature." One policy group has celebrated the proposal as the "final battle" in an effort to purge Texas schools of lessons on race and history that they say divides students and criticizes America's founders.
If put into effect, the mandated literature curriculum could be a first of its kind, according to Antero Garcia, president of the National Council of Teachers of English and a Stanford University education professor. Garcia told The Associated Press he doesn't know of any other state with a similar list. Educators at the district and school levels are generally able to choose what texts their students will read, he said.
The proposals have sharply divided teachers, parents and community members, hundreds of whom appeared before the school board this week to voice their concern and enthusiasm.
Why This Matters:
The Texas proposal raises fundamental questions about religious freedom, parental rights, and the role of public education in a diverse democracy. With about a third of Texas adults identifying as non-Christian, mandatory Christian texts could marginalize millions of families while forcing educators to navigate unfamiliar religious territory. The opt-out provision creates a troubling choice for parents: compromise their children's test scores and academic standing, or accept state-directed religious instruction. The elimination of world cultures education and the expansion of Christian content reflects a broader shift away from preparing students to understand diverse perspectives and global contexts. As the first state-mandated religious literature curriculum of its kind, Texas's decision could set a precedent that affects educational equity and constitutional protections nationwide, particularly as the state continues to eliminate studies of racial and cultural diversity while expanding religious instruction in public schools.