Texas Board Weighs Bible Reading Mandate for 5.5 Million Public School Students
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 26
Texas Board Weighs Bible Reading Mandate for 5.5 Million Public School Students
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 26
Summary
June 26's vote would require Texas public schools to assign Bible stories and verses across grades from first grade through high school, extending to the state's 5.5 million students.
The proposal stems from a 2023 state law ordering grade-by-grade vocabulary and reading lists, and it specifies both the passages and the Bible editions schools must use.
Required texts range from "Noah's Ark" and "David and Goliath" in elementary school to Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Luke, Job and 1 Corinthians in later grades, alongside standard works like "Charlotte's Web" and "Great Expectations."
The Republican-majority board's move has intensified a church-state fight in Texas, where students already see the Ten Commandments in classrooms under a law upheld by a federal appeals court.
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.