Texas Board Set to Approve Book List Requiring Bible Excerpts for 5 Million Students
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 25
Texas Board Set to Approve Book List Requiring Bible Excerpts for 5 Million Students
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 25
Summary
Friday’s expected vote would create Texas’s first statewide required reading list for public schools, putting Bible excerpts into most grade levels beginning in late elementary school.
The list would apply to more than 5 million students—about 11% of U.S. public school enrollment—and is unusual because a state, rather than districts or teachers, would mandate books across every grade.
Proposed selections also emphasize classic literature, including “Charlotte’s Web” for third grade, Elie Wiesel’s “Night” for eighth grade and Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” for 12th grade.
The measure has drawn fierce debate as board members finalize texts this week, with the expected outcome reflecting the Texas State Board of Education’s 10-5 Republican majority.
What happens when one reading list shapes the minds of five million students?
Can schools teach the Bible as literature without promoting religion?
Texas Poised to Require Bible Readings in Public Schools: State Board’s Pivotal Vote on June 27, 2026
Overview
The Texas State Board of Education is set to vote on June 27, 2026, on a proposal that would require Bible passages and stories—mainly from the King James Bible and evangelical translations—as mandatory reading in public schools. This decision will affect over 5 million students, with the new curriculum planned for elementary grades starting in the 2030-31 school year. Supporters believe this will help students understand Christianity’s influence on U.S. history, while critics worry it favors specific Christian interpretations and could lead to legal challenges. The move marks a significant shift in how reading materials are chosen for Texas schools.