The Texas State Board of Education gave its approval on Friday for a Bible-infused curriculum to be taught in public schools from kindergarten to fifth grade.
Texas schools have the option to use the “BlueBonnet” curriculum, which incorporates teachings from the books of Genesis and Psalms, along with the New Testament. However, it is not mandatory for schools to implement this curriculum. If schools choose to adopt the “BlueBonnet” curriculum, they will receive additional funding.
In a close decision of 8 to 7, the board has taken another step towards integrating Christian teachings into schools across the country. The curriculum proposal faced opposition from four Democrats and three Republicans who voted against its implementation.
The board is currently considering the use of the curriculum in other areas, but the vote specifically pertained to its addition to the English Language Arts and Reading curriculum.
According to a statement released on November 15th, the Texas American Federation of Teachers expressed their concern about the excessive amount of Bible references in the materials. They argued that these references not only violate the separation of church and state and academic freedom in the classroom, but also undermine the sanctity of the teaching profession.
Classrooms will start using the curriculum from August 2025.
School districts have the autonomy to create their own lesson plans and are not obliged to implement a specific curriculum. However, they have the opportunity to receive a funding incentive of $40 per student to purchase learning materials if they choose to adopt the recommended curriculum.
Other Republican-dominated states in the US are also making similar efforts.
A federal court has temporarily blocked a Louisiana law that required all state schools to display the Ten Commandments, after a parent group took legal action.
In June, top education officials in Oklahoma issued a directive to public schools mandating the inclusion of Bible lessons in the curriculum for students in grades five through twelve. As a result, a lawsuit has been filed by parents, students, and teachers with the Oklahoma Supreme Court seeking to halt the purchase of Bibles for this purpose.
Recently, Superintendent Ryan Walters, the lead education official in Oklahoma, made an announcement regarding the inclusion of the Bible published by President-elect Donald Trump in some high school classes that center around the US government. A total of 500 copies of the Bible, along with other important “foundational documents” like the Declaration of Independence, have been purchased by the state for this purpose.
According to media reports, Superintendent Walters has also mandated that schools show their students a video of him offering prayers for Trump. However, it has been noted that some school districts have refused to comply with this requirement.