by Susan Van Gelder

A protest against the intrusion of religious indoctrination into public education. Photo courtesy of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

A reading list which includes Bible stories will be required of five million Texas public School K-12 students beginning in 2030. Such a list overrides the normal practice of educators and school districts deciding what students will read.

Texas also hires chaplains to guide students and has approved an optional “Bible-infused” curriculum. Elva Mendoza, speaking for Texas Freedom Network, stated that Texas serves children of all faiths and no faith. This reading list sends a message that only one Christian religious text is worthy of making the list. One grandparent in support avowed that America 250 should celebrate America “as a nation of unwavering Christian values.”

The Bible-infused curriculum was created under a 2023 law and may be rolled out next year. Surprise: Schools who use it get extra state funding!

Critics object that the material in the curriculum is not age- or subject-matter appropriate. Amanda Tyler, of the Joint Baptist Committee for Religious Liberty, observed that elementary-age children are too young to distinguish between a fact-based statement and one that is faith-based.

Texas is not alone. It’s important to keep open eyes nationwide, with Louisiana and Oklahoma already well down the road of illegally forcing religion into public schools.