The Texas State Board of Education is poised to vote this Friday on a proposal requiring public school students statewide to read selected Bible passages as part of English instruction. The measure would affect approximately 5.5 million students from kindergarten through high school and take effect in 2030 if approved.
The proposed curriculum includes readings such as Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lion’s Den, Psalm 23, the Beatitudes, excerpts from Genesis, Exodus, and the New Testament.
Supporters argue that the initiative reflects the historical influence of Judeo-Christian teachings on the United States. Susan Perez, founder of Citizens for Education Reform, testified this week to the board: “We need to focus on what our nation was founded on and not apologize for that. It is the truth, and we should not be afraid.”
Republican board member Julie Pickren stated that the readings provide “important insight into the moral and philosophical traditions that have shaped Western civilization” and help students develop critical-thinking skills through engagement with primary historical documents.
Critics contend that the proposal favors Christianity and raises constitutional concerns due to its reliance on Protestant Bible translations, including the King James Version and the New International Readers Version, while excluding sacred texts from other major faiths. Harvard Divinity School professor David Holland explained: “The minute you use a textual translation of a book that is shared across religious traditions, as the Hebrew Bible is, but you’re choosing a translation that was created in a particular religious context, you’re inevitably going to privilege certain kinds of Christian understandings of that text.”
Rebecca Bell-Metereau, a Democrat member of the State Board of Education, added: “There really isn’t, in my view, a good justification for trying to turn our public schools into Sunday schools.”
Chad Seales, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of Texas at Austin, warned that compulsory religion in public education leads to divisiveness. He noted: “Any time compulsory religion happens in public education, it’s going to lead to divisiveness,” though he acknowledged that understanding biblical literature can aid students in interpreting American history and Western literature.
The proposal follows a trend of expanding religious roles in Texas public schools, which has included authorizing school chaplains, approving an optional Bible-infused elementary curriculum, and requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments—a law recently upheld by a federal appeals court. Additionally, President Donald Trump has pledged to expand religious expression in public schools nationwide.
