The Texas State Board of Education on Friday approved a statewide reading list that will require passages from the Bible for more than 5 million public school students.
The rollout will be staggered, beginning with elementary school students in 2030, and stems from a 2023 state law that required at least one literary work be designated for every grade; the board expanded that mandate by recommending multiple texts for each grade.
The list pairs traditional literary works such as E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" and Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" with Bible stories, including passages from the New Testament and excerpts from the Book of Job.
Picture-book stories for elementary students on the required list include "David and Goliath" and "Daniel and the Lion's Den," and by fourth grade students would encounter passages about Jesus in the New Testament.
By middle school, students would be expected to read several passages about Jesus, including passages from his most famous sermon and another where he instructs people to cast aside earthly anxiety and seek the kingdom of God.
The list states that excerpts from the Book of Jonah and the Book of Psalm will be required reading beginning in seventh grade, and additional excerpts from the Book of Lamentations and the Book of Genesis will become part of the curriculum for high school students; the list also requires specific Bible passages as supportive material for works such as Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."
Opponents say the policy breaches the constitutional separation of church and state, lacks diversity and gives preference to Christianity over other faiths.
"Kids of all faith backgrounds and no faith are served by Texas schools and they should all feel welcome in Texas schools," said Elva Mendoza, legislative communications associate for the progressive Texas Freedom Network. "But this is sending the message to children that one and only one religious text — a Christian one — is worthy of making this required reading list."
Antero Garcia, president of the National Council of Teachers of English and a Stanford University professor, said he did not know of any other state with a mandatory reading list that includes religious texts. Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America's Freedom to Read program, said, "Such strict requirements amount to 'almost de facto censorship.'" She added, "It certainly leans ideologically more conservative."
Supporters urged the inclusion of biblical materials at the board meeting. Brooke Mazel, a retiree from Lubbock, said her children and grandchildren grew up with "strong faith and family values" and that "America should celebrate our 250 years that started as a nation of unwavering Christian values," Mazel said.
The state already allows public schools to hire chaplains to counsel students, mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and has approved an optional Bible-infused curriculum.
The proposed new reading list contains around 200 texts, far in excess of the 2023 requirement; teachers may still assign other books in addition to the required titles, and the board was set to vote Friday on a social studies curriculum that links Bible stories with American history.
Texas educates roughly one in 10 of the nation's public school students.