Texas is poised to become the first state to require millions of students to study Bible stories as part of their curriculum. The Texas State Board of Education is expected to vote on a measure that would establish Biblical children’s stories and Bible verses as required reading in its K-12 curriculum.

Background

The proposal has sparked a heated debate among parents, educators, and community members, with some arguing that it favors Christianity over other religions and violates the constitutionally protected separation between church and state. Others argue that the Bible should be studied as an essential literary text that can help students understand Western history and the founding of the US.

The new list of required titles would include a picture-book adaptation of the David and Goliath story for elementary students and Bible passages about Adam and Eve for older students, among other references. 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.

Reactions

Supporters of the proposal argue that Christian texts should be inseparable from lessons on the nation’s founding. Susan Perez, founder of a Christian parent advocacy group, said, “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.”

However, opponents of the proposal, including Rabbi Joshua Fixler with Congregation Emanu El in Houston, argue that the list is full of Christian texts that are inappropriate for public school classrooms and will force teachers to cross the line between teaching about religion and teaching religion.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.