En esta noticia
The State Board of Education of Texas approved a new measure that aims to add around 200 mandatory texts and passages to the curriculum at different school levels, reaching approximately 5 million students across the state.
The measure, approved by a Republican majority, was criticized by opposition groups that alleged a constitutional violation of the separation of church and state. It would also go against the president’s promise to promote greater freedom of religious expression in the country’s public schools.
Schools are changing in Texas: What readings will be mandatory when this measure takes effect?
The new program will add several classic works of literature, such as fables, essays and some passages from the Bible in particular, which will be distributed according to school level. If implemented, Texas would be the first state to require these readings as mandatory.
Among the main additions from the Bible are:
Elementary school
- Story of David and Goliath
- Story of Daniel in the lion’s den
- Starting in fourth grade, passages from the New Testament about the life and teachings of Jesus
Middle school
- Excerpts from the Sermon on the Mount
- Passages in which Jesus urges people to set aside material concerns and seek the Kingdom of God
High school
- The parable of the prodigal son
- Excerpts from the Book of Job
- Story of Adam and Eve
In addition to biblical readings, works by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and other classic authors of literature are also included.
From when will students be required to read the Bible?
This new resolution will take effect starting with the 2030-2031 school year. From that period on, teachers must integrate the assigned texts for each grade level into Language and Literature lesson plans.
This decision is part of a state law already approved in 2023, which ordered the creation of a mandatory list of literary works for each educational level. This measure is an expansion of that law.
Education alert: What does the legislation in Texas establish?
The inclusion of the Bible in the list of mandatory readings sparked controversy because one in ten students in public schools in the United States lives in Texas, meaning it is one of the states with the greatest educational influence in the country.
The most controversial measures are:
- Ten Commandments displayed in classrooms
- Chaplains as school counselors
- Exemption for religious reasons
The justification for this reform is that it seeks to recover the historical and cultural value of the Judeo-Christian tradition in education.