By Marlissa Collier
Texas is in the midst of a new heated debate over a proposed overhaul of its elementary school curriculum. The Texas Education Agency (TEA), the governmental body responsible for overseeing public and primary and secondary education throughout Texas, released thousands of pages of proposed learning materials, and a key feature has drawn criticism and praise in equal measure: the inclusion of biblical references in reading and language arts lessons.
The proposal includes stories from the Gospel of Matthew, the Psalms of David, and references to the Last Supper. For first graders, the word “compromise” might be taught using the example of Samuel Adams’ plea for different faiths to pray together at the Continental Congress. In fifth grade, a lesson on Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” might connect to the Gospel of Matthew, referencing Jesus’ crucifixion and students might be exposed to the Psalms of David in a poetry lesson.
However, it also incorporates aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Proponents, largely aligned with the Texas Republican party, view this as a way to expose students to the state’s diverse religious landscape. They argue it fosters an understanding of cultural heritage.
Critics, on the other hand, express concerns about the separation of church and state. They worry that including Christian texts goes beyond mere exposure and ventures into religious instruction or even indoctrination, which is not permitted in public schools. Additionally, some feel the proposed curriculum downplays other world religions.
These discussions around education aren’t new in Texas, though. At the center of the highly politicized culture war is education and the so-called “indoctrination” of students via the introduction of “woke” topics, including social issues like race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The recent ban on DEI initiatives in universities exemplifies this larger fight. In fact a 2021 law, Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), restricts how race and slavery can be taught. It requires teaching about white supremacy but doesn’t mandate a specific approach, discouraging in-depth discussions about racism’s impact.
Texas schools are also navigating a tense situation regarding LGBTQ+ education. While no legislation has explicitly “cut” LGBTQ+ topics entirely, a series of proposed bills in 2023 aimed to restrict how these issues are addressed in classrooms. These proposals sparked debate and ultimately stalled, leaving the landscape for LGBTQ+ education uncertain.
One key proposal, Senate Bill 1072, sought to ban instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation up to 12th grade in public schools, erasing LGBTQ+ experiences from classrooms and creating a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students. Though the bill ultimately failed to pass the House Public Education Committee, it was one of many looking to stop the “indoctrination” of students via a so-called, “gay agenda”.
The Bible, though, seems to be given much more grace. While far-right supporters of exclusive curriculum have made it commonplace to attempt to erase “woke” topics from K-12 education in Texas and other conservative, the Bible is apparently granted special treatment. The inclusion of the Bible in K-12 curriculums remains a contentious issue in the United States. While public schools are not supposed to be able to promote any particular religion, several states have already given explicit allowance.
Eight states – Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas – mandate that public schools offer elective Bible literacy courses. These courses typically focus on the historical and literary significance of the Bible, not promoting religious beliefs. Three states – Missouri, South Carolina, and South Dakota – have passed legislation encouraging the creation of elective Bible courses in public schools. These laws aim to make it easier for schools to offer such courses, but don’t mandate them.
Even still, many states allow for incidental references. Here, the Bible can be referenced in historical, literary, or social studies classes as long as the approach is objective and doesn’t promote a particular religion. This is the most common approach nationwide.
The new curriculum comes as a consequence of Texas House Bill 1605. (HB 1605, passed in May 2023, is a significant piece of legislation that affected instructional materials and funding for Texas public schools, aiming to “ provide teachers with high-quality, grade-level appropriate instructional materials aligned with state standards”. The Bill also allocated an additional $324 million on top of existing funding for instructional materials while establishing a new approval process for Open Educational Resources (OER) – free, openly licensed educational materials.
According to education administrators, Texas aims to have a baseline knowledge across the state (TEKS). In the case of Biblical references being included in the proposed curriculum, leaders in education believe that inclusion of religious references, the balance between core knowledge and critical thinking skills, and the representation of diverse viewpoints in history and literature are all hot-button topics.
These factors all contribute to a complex and often heated debate about the future of education in Texas. It’s a state with a strong focus on local control, but also a growing recognition of the need for statewide standards and quality education for all students.
The public comment period for the proposed curriculum is ongoing, with a final decision from the Texas State Board of Education expected in November 2024. If approved, the new curriculum could be implemented in Texas schools by August 2025. This is a developing story, and it’s important to note that the curriculum is just a proposal at this stage. Stay tuned for further updates as the debate unfolds.
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