Bible based curriculum could alienate non-Christian students

Complete interview with Rocio Fierro-Perez from Texas Freedom Network.

A Texas public education board was expected to vote Monday on a proposed student curriculum that critics say is too greatly influenced by Christianity and Christian teachings for a public education curriculum.

However, after hearing hours of testimony, the State Board of Education opted to pause for the night and resume discussions Tuesday.

The initiative, known as Bluebonnet Learning, comes as a result of legislation passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2023, with the goal of a state-sanctioned curriculum to be used by the entire state. Though it's not required to be adopted, schools will receive financial incentives if they do adopt the curriculum.

When the elementary school curriculum was unveiled over the summer, several organizations criticized the program for leaning too heavily on Christian teachings as part of its fact-based approach. For example, teachings on the Roman government include stories from the life of Jesus, including his resurrection, as Christians believe.

"Students should learn about the influence of religion in our history and society, including in literature, but this curriculum goes beyond promoting religious literacy," Carisa Lopez, deputy director of the Texas Freedom Network, a progressive advocacy organization, said. "Bible study and other lessons undermine the freedom of families to direct the religious education of their own children without state interference. Under our Constitution, the state may not turn public schools into Sunday schools and force teachers into the position of preaching rather than teaching."

Notedly, proponents of the curriculum have not denied its Christian influence but rather embraced it. On Monday, ahead of the SBOE hearing, dozens of supporters sang Christian songs and hymns in the lobby of the state office building where the hearing would take place.

"Government cannot violate religious liberty by establishing a religion of secularism, by giving preference to those who believe in no religion over those who have religious beliefs," Jonathan Covey, policy director at Texas Values, a conservative advocacy group, said. "Government cannot cater to those offended observers, allowing them to wield a heckler's veto that trumps religious free exercise and ignores the Judeo foundation, Christian foundations of our country."