Texas holds final vote on allowing Bible-based lessons in public schools

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas will allow Bible-based lessons in elementary schools under changes that were put to a final vote Friday that could test the boundaries between religion and public education in the United States.

Suggested curriculum narrowly won the preliminary vote this week at the Texas State Board of Education, whose elected members listened for hours to sometimes impassioned pleas from both supporters and critics about materials schools could begin using next year.

If passed, Texas’ new curriculum would follow efforts by Republicans in neighboring states to ensure a greater presence of religion in public schools. Oklahoma State Education Superintendent Orders a Copy Bible in every classroomwhile Louisiana wants to make all state public school classrooms publish the Ten Commandments starting next year.

In Texas, schools will not be required to use these materials, but if they do, they will receive additional funding.

If the board improves the curriculum, Texas would be the first state to introduce Bible classes in schools this way, said Matthew Patrick Shaw, an assistant professor of public policy and education at Vanderbilt University.

Creating Bible-Based Lessons

The Texas Education Agency, which oversees public education for more than 5 million students statewide, created its own educational materials after a law passed in 2023 by the GOP-controlled Legislature required the agency to do so. The lesson plans were released this spring.

The material draws on lessons from Christianity more than any other religion in proposed reading and language arts modules for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, which critics say will alienate students of different faiths and potentially violate the First Amendment.

“This curriculum is not age and subject appropriate in terms of presenting Bible stories,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist United Committee for Religious Liberty.

The children who will read the material, she said, “are simply too young to tell the difference between what is a statement of faith and what is fact.”

More than 100 people testified at this week’s board meeting, which stirred emotions among parents, teachers and advocates. Proponents of the curriculum argued that the Bible was a key element of American history and its teaching would enrich student learning.

“They say there are about 300 everyday phrases that actually come from the Bible,” said Mary Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, an advocacy group. “So it will be helpful for students to understand many of these references that are in the literature and be able to understand them.”

Narrow early voting

The 15-member board includes 11 Republicans and four Democrats. That signaled support for the materials in Wednesday’s 8-7 primary vote.

One of the board members is a Republican who was appointed to the board just weeks ago by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to temporarily fill a vacancy. A few days after this appointment, a Democrat was elected unopposed to the same seat on the board beginning the following year.

Abbott has publicly supported the training materials.

Whether the lesson plans would be considered constitutional is in question if the curriculum is adopted, Shaw said.

“The question is how Texas is going to frame what is being done here to avoid the establishment issue or to tackle it directly,” he said.

Bringing Religion into Schools

Texas’ plans to introduce biblical teachings into public school lesson plans are the latest attempt by Republican-controlled states to introduce religion into the classroom.

Louisiana Passes Housing Law Ten Commandments in all public classrooms was blocked by a federal judge earlier this month. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed the bill the law was passed in June, prompting a group of interfaith parents in Louisiana public schools to file a lawsuit.

In Oklahoma, the state’s top education official has attempted to include the Bible in lesson plans for children in grades five through 12. A group of teachers and parents recently filed a lawsuit to stop the Republican state superintendent’s plan and efforts to spend $3 million to buy a Bible for public schools.

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Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.