Texas Board of Education votes to approve Bible curriculum in elementary schools
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Bible-Based Lessons Approved for Elementary Schools in Texas
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The Facts
The Texas State Board of Education on Friday voted 8-7 to approve an optional Bible-based curriculum called Bluebonnet Learning for elementary schools, which could implement the curriculum as soon as the 2025-26 school year.
School districts adopting the curriculum will receive financial incentives of $60 per student annually — $40 for implementation and $20 for printing costs.
The Spin
Left narrative
This curriculum violates the separation of church and state by privileging Christianity over other faiths in public education. The materials risk proselytizing young students who cannot distinguish between faith claims and facts, while the financial incentives unfairly pressure underfunded schools to adopt religious content.
Right narrative
There's nothing nefarious about this curriculum. It merely allows individual school districts to utilize cross-disciplinary lessons to enrich students' learning. Many concepts in the Bible, including 'how to be a good citizen' and 'how to treat other people' will be useful to students' lives, regardless of their religion.
