Texas has become the first state in the nation to require Bible passages as part of its statewide public school reading curriculum after the Republican-controlled State Board of Education approved sweeping new social studies standards Friday.
Proposed years ago, the vote on Friday affirmed the shift in Texas education standards statewide. The changes, approved on a 9-5 vote, will be phased into classrooms beginning with the 2030-31 school year and make biblical texts part of required reading for elementary and middle school students. Supporters say the curriculum recognizes the Bible’s historical, literary and cultural influence on the United States, while opponents argue the state is crossing a constitutional line by bringing religious instruction into public education.
