Texas Approves New Curriculum, Allows Public Schools to Teach Bible Stories in K–5 Classes

A Texas flag is displayed in an elementary school in Murphy, Texas, on Dec. 3, 2020. LM Otero/AP Photo

Public schools in Texas now have the option to use a new elementary school curriculum with reading materials containing biblical stories.

Eight of the 15 members of the Texas State Board of Education on Friday voted to give final approval to Bluebonnet Learning, placing it on the menu of curricula schools can choose from for the upcoming 2025–2026 school year.

Designed for kindergarten through fifth grade, Bluebonnet follows a cross-disciplinary approach that uses reading and language arts lessons to reinforce concepts in other subjects like history. However, it has been under intense scrutiny since the initial draft was released in May due to its inclusion of Christian themes.

For example, the curriculum introduces the story of the Good Samaritan to kindergarteners as an illustration of the Golden Rule, and fifth-grade students learn about Christian communion as part of an art history lesson on Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Critics said these elements blur the line between education and evangelism.

The finalized version includes revisions based on public feedback and tones down some overt religious references in the initial draft.

Its critics said the version disproportionately focuses on Christianity over other faiths, alleging a potential violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which forbids the government from endorsing one religion over another.

Its opponents also take issue with a lack of nuance in the history lessons, such as placing Christianity wholly on the side of the pre-Civil War abolitionist movement without acknowledging that some defenders of slavery tried to justify the institution on biblical grounds.

“If this is the standard for students in Texas, then it needs to be exactly that,” Staci Childs, a Democratic board member, said ahead of a preliminary vote on Nov. 19. “It needs to be high quality, and it needs to be the standard, free of any Establishment Clause issues, free of any lies, and it needs to be accurate.”

Proponents of the curriculum emphasize the Bible’s significant influence on America’s development. They said that exposure to its narratives and the principles of Christianity can help students gain a deeper understanding of the nation’s history and cultural foundations.

“In my view, these stories are on the education side and are establishing cultural literacy,” said Will Hickman, a Republican board member. “And there’s religious concepts like the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule and Moses that all students should be exposed to.”

Tom Maynard, another Republican, agreed, saying the issue “is not so much about religion or proselytization—it’s about, really, cultural awareness.”

“This is about literature and preparing the student to consume and understand literature on a much broader scale,” he said.

Three Republicans joined the Democrats in voting against the curriculum. Among them was Patricia Hardy, who said that while she does not object to including religious references in education, those materials are better suited for older students. Hardy also disagrees that the new curriculum would help improve students’ reading performance. About half of Texas students in third through eighth grade read below grade level on state tests, according to the Texas Education Agency’s assessment results last year.

“The material is not grade-level appropriate,” Hardy told the board on Tuesday. “By that, I mean the vocabulary, the subject areas, etc, are above grade-level appropriateness. That'd be the reason I’m not supporting it.”

Pam Little, the Republican vice chair of the board, shared Hardy’s concerns.

“The program’s content is overwhelming, leaving little time for students to practice reading and develop critical skills like fluency and comprehension,” she wrote on X after Tuesday’s meeting.

In Texas, individual school districts have the freedom to decide whether to adopt the state-authored curriculum. Districts that choose to implement at least part of it may receive up to $60 per student in state funding, an appealing incentive for schools facing financial challenges.

Bluebonnet is the latest in a series of high-profile moves from education officials in Republican-led states to incorporate Christian teachings into public schools.

In Oklahoma, state officials proposed to include the Bible in public school lesson plans for students in grades 5 through 12. The plan is being challenged before the Oklahoma Supreme Court, where a coalition of students, parents, faith leaders, and activists is seeking to block its implementation. The group is also asking the court to prevent the state from spending $3 million to purchase Bibles for the program.

In Louisiana, a new state law that mandates the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms has also drawn legal challenges. It is currently on hold as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals deliberates on the case.