Texas’ education board is a step closer to approving an optional elementary school curriculum that contains biblical stories in reading materials.
The curriculum, designed for kindergarten through fifth grade, 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 argue these elements blur the line between education and evangelism.
The version approved on Nov. 19 already includes revisions based on public feedback and tones down some overt religious references in the first draft. Still, its critics maintain that it disproportionately focuses on Christianity over other religions, potentially violating the Establishment Clause, 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.
Proponents of the curriculum argue that references to the Bible and Christianity help students better understand the nation’s history and culture.
“In my view, these stories are on the education side and are establishing cultural literacy,” Will Hickman, a Republican member, said at Tuesday’s meeting. “And there’s religious concepts like the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule and Moses that all students should be exposed to.”
Tom Maynard, a Republican member said 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,” Maynard said.
The debate doesn’t entirely center on whether biblical content should be taught at all. Patricia Hardy, one of the three Republicans who joined the Democrats in voting against the materials, emphasized that while she does not object to including religious references in education, such topics are better suited for older students.
“This is not age-level appropriate,” Hardy told the board. “I was a world history teacher. I taught much of this in high school, and most of it starts in the sixth grade with world cultures, where we cover religious things that take the controversy.”
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 financially struggling schools.
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 Louisiana, a new state law mandates that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms. This law has also drawn legal challenges and is currently on hold as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals deliberates on the case.
