The Texas State Board of Education voted Friday to approve a new curriculum that requires public schools to teach the historical context of the Bible, affecting more than 5 million students in the state's public K-12 system. The decision builds on existing state education code requiring the teaching of religious literature including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament and its impact on history and literature.
The new curriculum mandates specific biblical texts at each grade level. Elementary students will read a picture-book adaptation of the David and Goliath story, while older students will study the stories of Adam and Eve. Additional mandated texts include excerpts from the Book of Jonah, the Book of Psalms, and selections from the Books of Genesis and Lamentations. The curriculum also includes increased emphasis on classic literature such as Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
The board's vote implements a 2023 Texas law requiring state education officials to designate at least one literary work for every grade level. The board expanded that mandate by recommending multiple texts for each grade, with Friday's vote providing final approval of the curriculum package.
What the Left Is Saying
Critics argue the curriculum violates the separation of church and state guaranteed by the First Amendment. Opponents contend the mandated texts lack diversity and favor Christianity over other faiths, raising concerns about students in non-Christian households being required to engage with religious material in a public school setting.
Civil liberties organizations have warned that such mandates could face legal challenges. Parents opposed to the curriculum say it infringes on their ability to direct their children's religious education, arguing that teaching biblical passages as mandatory curriculum crosses constitutional boundaries even when framed as historical or literary study.
Advocacy groups representing diverse faith communities and secular families have indicated they may pursue legal action if the curriculum is implemented without modifications to include texts from a broader range of religious traditions.
What the Right Is Saying
Supporters argue that understanding biblical history is essential for students to grasp American history and Western civilization. Proponents say Judeo-Christian values form the foundation of the nation's founding documents and cultural heritage, making historical study of these texts appropriate for public education.
Texas policymakers have emphasized that the curriculum teaches religious literature as literature, not as religious instruction. They point to existing state education code that already requires teaching about Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament as part of history and literature courses.
Susan Perez, founder of Citizens for Education Reform, a Christian parent advocacy group, argued at Monday's school board meeting that not every religious belief needs to be incorporated into public school education because our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values. Supporters note that many public schools already teach stories from Hindu and Islamic traditions despite the separation of church and state.
The move follows Texas's recent success in mandating the posting of Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, which supporters describe as a restoration of historical acknowledgment in educational settings.
What the Numbers Show
5.4 million: Estimated number of students enrolled in Texas public schools affected by the new curriculum requirements.
2023: Year when Texas enacted the original law requiring at least one literary work to be designated for each grade level.
Multiple texts per grade: Number of biblical and classic literature selections now mandated across K-12 levels under the expanded board recommendations.
The Bible is among the most frequently translated and best-selling book in human history, with significant influence on Western literature, art, and legal traditions according to historical and academic records.
The Bottom Line
Texas has enacted one of the most comprehensive state-level mandates for biblical literacy instruction in public schools. The curriculum takes effect for the upcoming school year, giving local districts time to integrate the mandated texts into existing literature and history courses.
The implementation is likely to face legal scrutiny. Opponents have indicated they will monitor rollout and consider challenges under the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Supporters argue the curriculum complies with existing precedent allowing teaching about religion as a historical and cultural subject rather than religious instruction.
What to watch: Whether other states follow Texas's approach, how local districts implement the requirements, and whether court challenges emerge before or during the 2026-27 school year.