The Texas State Board of Education is voting this week on new curriculum that includes references to Christian texts and emphasizes Texas history.
At its meeting in Austin, the 15-member board is expected to give final approval to changes to history, social studies and reading lists that every public school student in Texas child is taught.
Advocates for the changes say they put Texas and Christianity in their proper perspective of their impact on U.S. history, as well as advocate for freedom and capitalism.
Critics say the curriculum favors Christianity over other religions and includes inaccuracies.
鈥淭here's a concerted effort to teach history from a perspective that highlights Christian contributions and ignores others,鈥� said Southern Methodist University religious studies professor Mark Chancey. 鈥淪o Christian contributions to American society are emphasized but not those of other groups, other peoples.鈥�
The proposed curriculum would teach third-graders about Moses鈥� 鈥渃ontributions as a law-giver through the Ten Commandments,鈥� and 鈥渉ow Christian beliefs 鈥� helped shape American ideas about equality, rights, and treating people with dignity.鈥�
The state board adopted the new social studies framework last year and . A board-appointed academic adviser told SBOE the changes would 鈥渃reate an American and Texas identity.鈥�
Rocia Fierro-Perez, political director of the left-leaning Texas Freedom Network, said the same tenets are found in other religions.
鈥淭o attribute these values exclusively to Christianity misrepresents the world and ignores the contributions of other beliefs that help shape American culture,鈥� she said.
The new curriculum would go into effect in 2030. Members of her organization plan to testify before the board this week before it takes the final vote.
鈥淭exans need to know what鈥檚 going on,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e would love to have a reasonable conversation with members, but that seems further and further away.鈥�
Bill Zeeble is 四虎影院鈥檚 education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X .
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