DALLAS (AP) — Texas’ education board on Friday approved a required reading list for more than 5 million public school students that includes Bible stories, widening conservative efforts to bring Christian teachings into U.S. classrooms.
The state-mandated list of assigned reading — which includes Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” and excerpts from the New Testament — appeared to be among the first of its kind of the nation and will take effect starting in 2030.
The State Board of Education, which is controlled by Republicans, approved the list on a 9-5 vote following weeks of contentious debate that again put Texas at the center of wrangling over the role of religion in public schools. Last year, Texas became the largest state to require teachers to hang the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The board this week was also considering new social studies curriculum that draws lines between Bible stories and American history.
Beyond objections over Bible readings, the mandate drew backlash from teachers who criticized losing the ability to decide what their students will read, although they are still allowed to assign additional books during the school year.
“I don’t have a problem reading about David and Goliath because I believe in those stories,” said Alyse Dent, a high school English teacher in the Dallas area. “But if I’m reading to one of my students — they’re Muslim or they’re atheist — I can say all day long, ‘Well, we’re teaching a theme, we’re teaching symbolism,’ but they’re hearing, ‘This is a Bible story. We’re talking about God.’”
Supporters of the changes have argued that Judeo-Christian traditions were fundamental to the nation’s founding and that should be reflected in the public school curriculum.
“These timeless works, including biblical passages, have shaped American culture and history, and have influenced generations of thinkers, leaders, and citizens, and they continue to offer valuable lessons about human nature, virtue, liberty, a …
