Texas Board of Education Approves Bible Verses for Required Reading

On Friday, the Republican-led Texas Board of Education approved a reading list that mandates Bible verses for public school students, a move aimed at bolstering Christian teachings in education.

The vote, which passed 9-5 with one abstention, sets a required reading list for Texas’s more than 5 million public school students. Among the selections are classics like Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” and passages from the New Testament.

This decision has been met with considerable debate. Educators have pointed out that it may be the first statewide required reading list in the U.S. that includes such religious texts.

Criticism has arisen from those who believe the new list undermines the separation of church and state, potentially favoring Christianity over a more diverse range of religions and civil rights.

However, supporters argue that the Judeo-Christian tradition played a crucial role in the nation’s founding and thus should be represented in classroom discussions.

Aiming for implementation, this required reading list will start for elementary students from the 2030-2031 school year.

This aligns with Texas’s broader education policies, such as allowing chaplains in schools and requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, as well as introducing an optional curriculum that incorporates Biblical content.

According to a 2023 Texas law, at least one literary work must be taught at each grade level. The newly approved list includes about 200 texts, samples of essays, and various Bible passages.

Elva Mendoza, representing the Texas Freedom Network, criticized the lack of diversity in the reading list, stressing that both teachers and students should have the freedom to choose their materials.

“Children of all faith backgrounds—and those without any faith—attend schools in Texas, and they all deserve to feel included,” Mendoza noted. “This approach suggests that only religious, specifically Christian, texts are deemed valuable for required reading.”

The board is also expected to vote on a new social studies curriculum that seeks to integrate Biblical narratives with American history.