Texas became the first state in recent history to approve a required K-12 reading list mandating the teaching of Bible stories in public schools on Friday.
The Texas State Board of Education, whose 15-member panel is majority-Republican, voted to pass the reading list.
Recommended Stories
The proposal marks the latest instance of Texas infusing Christianity into its education system after the state enacted a law in 2025 requiring all public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The reading list won’t take effect until 2030 for elementary school students, with the higher grades to follow.
Younger elementary students will learn about classic children’s Bible stories, such as David vs. Goliath, while fourth-graders will start reading passages about Jesus in the New Testament.
By middle school, students will be expected to take on more passages about Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount. After entering high school, students will read specific Bible passages alongside literary works by renowned authors such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.
Critics of the proposal argue that reading the Bible in school blurs the separation between church and state, whereas proponents believe that the public school curriculum should include an understanding of the Bible because of its influence on American society.
This is the first time since 1963 that the Bible has returned to Texas classrooms. In a landmark 8-1 ruling at the time, the Supreme Court declared that daily Bible readings and school prayers mandated by the state government were unconstitutional.
TRUMP COMMISSION UNVEILS 12-POINT BLUEPRINT TO EXPAND US RELIGIOUS LIBERTY PROTECTIONS
It remains to be seen whether the inclusion of Bible passages in the newly approved state-sponsored reading list faces any legal challenges.
The Texas State Board of Education is also considering pairing Bible stories with U.S. history in the new social studies curriculum. The vote on that proposal is expected to take place on Friday.
