Texas just required Bible readings in school. Here's why that's a good thing
The Texas State Board of Education voted to approve new required reading for students in its public school system Friday. Critics have denounced the curriculum change, which includes Bible passages, as a violation of the First Amendment, but state law and legal precedent allow Texas to go through with it.
TL;DR
- The Texas State Board of Education approved new required reading for public schools, including Bible passages.
- Critics argue the curriculum violates the First Amendment, but state law and legal precedent permit the change.
- This follows a 2025 law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms.
- The new list includes approximately 200 required texts and excerpts, ranging from biblical passages to various literary works.
- Legal precedent from the 1963 Supreme Court case Abington School District v. Schempp allows for the objective study of biblical texts in education.
- Officials state biblical texts will be considered on a literary basis.
- Critics also point to a lack of diversity in the selections, primarily featuring Christian-translated verses.
- Proponents argue a common reading list creates a shared educational foundation and makes curriculum monitoring easier for parents.
- The curriculum change will be implemented at the start of the 2030-2031 school year.