Texas makes Bible passages required reading for millions of public school students

Key Points:

• The Texas education board has approved a new statewide reading list requiring Bible passages as mandatory reading for over 5 million public school students, starting with elementary grades in 2030.
• The initiative includes excerpts from the Book of Jonah and Psalms for seventh graders, and additional Bible texts like Lamentations and Genesis for high school students.
• The move follows a 2023 Texas law mandating at least one literary work per grade level, with the board expanding the list to multiple texts, though teachers can assign additional books beyond the required selections.
• Critics argue the curriculum violates the constitutional separation of church and state, lacks diversity, and favors Christianity, while supporters claim Judeo-Christian traditions are central to the nation’s founding and deserve representation.
• The reading list also faces criticism for its focus on older works predominantly by white male authors, which some say does not reflect the diverse demographics of Texas public school students.