Texas is poised to require millions of students to study Bible stories

Michie · Jun 26, 2026

Texas is on the verge of mandating more than 5 million of its public school students to study Bible stories, as the state emerges as a leader in a national conservative effort to infuse Christian teachings into American classrooms.

The majority-Republican Texas State Board of Education is expected to vote Friday to pass a measure that would establish Biblical children’s stories and Bible verses as required reading in its K-12 curriculum.

Many of its students are already familiar with at least some Christian teachings: Texas last year became the largest stateto require classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, a law recently upheld in federal court.

Continued below.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/us/texas-schools-bible-curriculum-vote

Vambram · Jun 26, 2026

That's great news. I hope other states will do the same thing.

Valletta · Jun 27, 2026

Michie said:
Texas is on the verge of mandating more than 5 million of its public school students to study Bible stories, as the state emerges as a leader in a national conservative effort to infuse Christian teachings into American classrooms.

The majority-Republican Texas State Board of Education is expected to vote Friday to pass a measure that would establish Biblical children’s stories and Bible verses as required reading in its K-12 curriculum.

Many of its students are already familiar with at least some Christian teachings: Texas last year became the largest stateto require classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, a law recently upheld in federal court.

Continued below.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/us/texas-schools-bible-curriculum-vote

The Bible has been read by more people than any other book in the history of the world, it should never have been excluded from the reading list for children.

iluvatar5150 · Jun 29, 2026

So... the conservatives in Texas are trying to foist their religious texts on people.
And the efficiency-loving conservatives are enacting a policy that's sure to trigger a legal fight that's doomed from the outset.

I'm starting to think that MAGA doesn't hold the values it claims to hold.

Valletta · Jun 29, 2026

iluvatar5150 said:
So... the conservatives in Texas are trying to foist their religious texts on people.
And the efficiency-loving conservatives are enacting a policy that's sure to trigger a legal fight that's doomed from the outset.

I'm starting to think that MAGA doesn't hold the values it claims to hold.

It's a reaction to the abuse of Constitutional rights that we saw during the last administration, silencing moms at school board meetings, punishing teachers who didn't use the correct pronouns, drag queen shows for children, introducing pornographic anti Judeo/Christian material into the reading lists, schools concealing information from parents about schools counseling children to transition, etc. At least giving children a glimpse at the most popular book in the world, without pushing one particular religion, is a reasonable start.

iluvatar5150 · Jun 29, 2026

Valletta said:
It's a reaction to the abuse of Constitutional rights that we saw during the last administration

So your reaction to perceived abuse of constitutional rights is to abuse different constitutional rights? It sounds like you're confirming my suspicion about MAGA not holding the values they claim to hold. This isn't a reaction that values constitutional rights and wants to protect them; it's a reaction that wants to get in on the game and set the terms for which/whose rights get abused.

Valletta said:
At least giving children a glimpse at the most popular book in the world, without pushing one particular religion, is a reasonable start.

Forcing them to read passages from the Bible isn't pushing one particular religion?

Well, many of the passages are from the OT, so I guess it would be two religions, not one.

I'm not sure this is the final list, but here's at least one iteration of the list:

https://tea.texas.gov/curriculum-and-instruction/instructional-materials/house-bill-1605/draft-rule-text-for-agency-recommendations-to-the-sboe-for-literary-works-list-0.pdf

How does having kids read Psalm 23 or the stories of Jonah or the Tower of Babel not push a certain religion? There's no greater historical or literarly context for these.

Valletta · Jun 29, 2026

iluvatar5150 said:
So your reaction to perceived abuse of constitutional rights is to abuse different constitutional rights? It sounds like you're confirming my suspicion about MAGA not holding the values they claim to hold. This isn't a reaction that values constitutional rights and wants to protect them; it's a reaction that wants to get in on the game and set the terms for which/whose rights get abused.

Forcing them to read passages from the Bible isn't pushing one particular religion?

Well, many of the passages are from the OT, so I guess it would be two religions, not one.

I'm not sure this is the final list, but here's at least one iteration of the list:

https://tea.texas.gov/curriculum-and-instruction/instructional-materials/house-bill-1605/draft-rule-text-for-agency-recommendations-to-the-sboe-for-literary-works-list-0.pdf

How does having kids read Psalm 23 or the stories of Jonah or the Tower of Babel not push a certain religion? There's no greater historical or literarly context for these.

It's not my reaction, what I am saying is that when people violated the Constitution as they did they drew attention to things like the reading list. Giving children access to the most popular book in the world is not something that should be surprising to anyone. Parts of the Bible, whether it be direct quotes or depictions or derivatives like the Ten Commandments, have been in public locations like the Supreme Court, or on the Liberty Bell, for much of the history of our country. Children should be able to see and learn.

The Barbarian · Monday at 6:54 AM

Vambram said:
That's great news. I hope other states will do the same thing.

Because experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of Religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.
James Madison, Against Religious Assessments

God neither needs nor wants a government handout.

Vambram · Monday at 11:05 AM

The Barbarian said:
Because experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of Religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.
James Madison, Against Religious Assessments

God neither needs nor wants a government handout.

It's not a government handout. It's teaching the history in the Bible.

Akita Suggagaki · Monday at 11:47 AM

iluvatar5150 said:
https://tea.texas.gov/curriculum-an...ons-to-the-sboe-for-literary-works-list-0.pdf

There are all kinds of myth and fiction in that reading list. I pity the teachers trying to persuade them of the difference between myth, fiction and "history".

Vambram · Monday at 3:04 PM

Akita Suggagaki said:
There are all kinds of myth and fiction in that reading list. I pity the teachers trying to persuade them of the difference between myth, fiction and "history".

I don't believe that it is difficult for teachers to explain the differences between myths, fiction, and history.

The Barbarian · Monday at 3:05 PM

Because experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of Religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.
James Madison, Against Religious Assessments

God neither needs nor wants a government handout.

Vambram said:
It's not a government handout.

It is, if it's limited to the scriptures of just one religion. Shouldn't the Quran or Tao Te Ching, or the Book of Mormon be also required? We all know why they won't be, don't we? Madison had it right. Forcing holy scripture of one religion to the exclusion of others, is not only wrong, it grievously damages the government-imposed religion.

Because the Bill implies either that the Civil Magistrate is a competent Judge of Religious Truth; or that he may employ Religion as an engine of Civil policy. The first is an arrogant pretension falsified by the contradictory opinions of Rulers in all ages, and throughout the world: the second an unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation.
ibid

Vambram · Monday at 3:23 PM

The Barbarian said:
Because experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of Religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.
James Madison, Against Religious Assessments

God neither needs nor wants a government handout.

It is, if it's limited to the scriptures of just one religion. Shouldn't the Quran or Tao Te Ching, or the Book of Mormon be also required? We all know why they won't be, don't we? Madison had it right. Forcing holy scripture of one religion to the exclusion of others, is not only wrong, it grievously damages the government-imposed religion.

Because the Bill implies either that the Civil Magistrate is a competent Judge of Religious Truth; or that he may employ Religion as an engine of Civil policy. The first is an arrogant pretension falsified by the contradictory opinions of Rulers in all ages, and throughout the world: the second an unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation.
ibid

Sounds like to me that you have a problem with the teaching of Biblical history in schools.

Akita Suggagaki · Monday at 4:22 PM

Vambram said:
I don't believe that it is difficult for teachers to explain the differences between myths, fiction, and history.

What about when the parents disagree wth the teacher on which is which?

Vambram · Monday at 5:12 PM

Akita Suggagaki said:
What about when the parents disagree wth the teacher on which is which?

Then the parents have priority and authority above the teacher.

The Barbarian · Monday at 8:53 PM

Vambram said:
Sounds like to me that you have a problem with the teaching of Biblical history in schools.

The state has no business teaching religion. Keep in mind that if students are forced to read the Bible, they can also be forced to read the Quran, the Book of Mormon, and other religious scripture. Is that what you want?

Vambram · Monday at 9:23 PM

The Barbarian said:
The state has no business teaching religion. Keep in mind that if students are forced to read the Bible, they can also be forced to read the Quran, the Book of Mormon, and other religious scripture. Is that what you want?

The state would not be teaching religion. Instead, it would be teaching Biblical HISTORY. Why do you appear to be unwilling to accept that?

iluvatar5150 · Tuesday at 4:42 AM

Vambram said:
The state would not be teaching religion. Instead, it would be teaching Biblical HISTORY. Why do you appear to be unwilling to accept that?

Because "Biblical history" as many (including you, I suspect) understand it largely is religion. Many of the stories in the Bible taught as historical don't stand up to any sort of scrutiny (e.g. the Flood) and those that do are often pretty questionable on a lot of the details (e.g. the Israelites' time in Egypt).

2PhiloVoid · Tuesday at 8:31 AM

Michie said:
Texas is on the verge of mandating more than 5 million of its public school students to study Bible stories, as the state emerges as a leader in a national conservative effort to infuse Christian teachings into American classrooms.

The majority-Republican Texas State Board of Education is expected to vote Friday to pass a measure that would establish Biblical children’s stories and Bible verses as required reading in its K-12 curriculum.

Many of its students are already familiar with at least some Christian teachings: Texas last year became the largest stateto require classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, a law recently upheld in federal court.

Continued below.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/us/texas-schools-bible-curriculum-vote

meh. No big deal.

Laodicean60 · Tuesday at 9:24 AM

I think this is our right-wing virtue signaling. In the days of extremism, do people not recognise the tribalism? Christians are bobbleheading, yes to this; and how does the school determine the qualifications of these teachers? Do they have to have some seminary? I don't need teachers to teach my grandkids bible history (from residing here for a few years, I recognise Christians can't come to a consensus on the creation story, now what) when they can learn it at home; now, if the state uses this to indoctrinate people into Christianity (just like transgenderism), it's wrong. I want to read the school's lesson plan. If they do teach the history, it should be a voluntary class. School should be about the sciences and prepping kids for adulthood life lessons, not political ideology. Theist evolutionists don't want to learn young earth; I believe lawsuits galore.

Texas is poised to require millions of students to study Bible stories

Well-Known Member

Born-again Christian; Constitutional conservative

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Crabby Old White Guy

Born-again Christian; Constitutional conservative

Well-Known Member

Born-again Christian; Constitutional conservative

Crabby Old White Guy

Born-again Christian; Constitutional conservative

Well-Known Member

Born-again Christian; Constitutional conservative

Crabby Old White Guy

Born-again Christian; Constitutional conservative

Well-Known Member

What goes around comes around!

Well-Known Member

Similar threads