The US Texas State Board of Education is set to vote on Friday on a proposal to allow public schools to use lessons from the Bible in classrooms for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The curriculum, developed by the Texas Education Agency, would make it optional for schools to incorporate lessons from the Bible, including stories from ‘Genesis’ and teachings like the ‘Golden Rule’. Schools that choose to implement the curriculum would receive additional funding.
The proposal has sparked debate, with some arguing that it promotes religious teachings in public schools, while others support it as a way to provide students with a more comprehensive education.
“This curriculum fails to meet the standard of an honest, secular one,” said educator Megan Tessler. “Public schools are meant to educate, not indoctrinate,” she added.
Supporters of the initiative believe it aligns with traditional educational values. “Parents and teachers want a return to excellence,” Cindy Asmussen told the board. “Stories and concepts in the Bible have been common for hundreds of years,” she added, emphasising their role in classical learning.
The board heard hours of testimony from both sides during a meeting on Monday. Critics, including religious experts and the Texas Freedom Network, argue that the curriculum leans heavily on Christianity and overlooks the history of slavery.
This proposal is part of a wider trend in the United States, with states like Oklahoma and Louisiana also considering the role of religious teachings in public education.
The Texas Education Agency designed the program following a law requiring the creation of a free textbook, an initiative supported by governor Greg Abbott.
