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Home – Texas Politics & News – Texas Expects Students to Know the Bible Because it Is Part of Our History

Texas Expects Students to Know the Bible Because it Is Part of Our History

Elizabeth Lensing | Mary Elizabeth Castle

On June 26, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) voted on the new K-8 social studies standards. These revised standards remove critical race theory, reject disputed claims about Islam’s influence on the Alamo, restore instruction on classical Greek and Roman influences, and—most controversially—include instructing students about America’s Judeo-Christian heritage.

The motion passed 9-5. As you can probably guess, the vote fell along party lines. All five Democrats voted against the rewrite, nine Republicans voted in favor, and one member was absent. Finally, after four years of debate and delay, Texans have preserved history in their classrooms for the decade to come.

Public criticism began almost immediately.

Negative media coverage from outlets like BBC, CNN, Texas Monthly, and The New York Times echo the same criticism heard in Monday and Tuesday’s public testimony. Critics claim that the social studies standards are not diverse enough, and that including Biblical readings in public school curricula violates the Constitution’s Establishment Clause, turning public education into indoctrination.

“Bible lessons should be taught on Sundays,” said SBOE member Tiffany Clark in a comment to CNN. “Not all of us believe the same.”

While Clark is not alone in her concern, she’s presuming the only reason someone would ever study the Bible is a religious one. She is mistaken; we can see why by understanding what these standards are actually trying to ensure students are........

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