Texas requires Bible passages in public school reading list

Texas required Bible passages alongside Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and other works for more than 5 million public school students after the State Board of Education approved a statewide reading list on Friday. The Republican-controlled board voted 9-5, with one member absent, and the change will roll out in stages starting with elementary grades in 2030.

The list grew out of a 2023 Texas law that required at least one literary work per grade level. The board’s list includes as many as 25 texts in some grades and nearly 200 titles overall, with at least a dozen Bible passages and stories. Among the required selections are David and Goliath in second grade and the Book of Job in tenth grade, while other biblical readings include Noah’s Ark and Daniel and the Lion’s Den. The Christian Broadcasting Network supplies one story, and some passages must be taken from the New International Readers Version, a simplified translation aimed at younger readers.

Supporters defended the move as recognition of cultural literacy and Judeo-Christian traditions that shaped the nation’s founding. Critics argued that the list lacks diversity and pushes public schools across a church-state boundary. Diane Miller of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts said, “The lists will eat up weeks of valuable instructional time.” Elva Mendoza of the Texas Freedom Network said, “Kids of all faith backgrounds and no faith are served by Texas schools and they should all feel welcome in Texas schools.”

State leaders have already required Ten Commandments displays in public classrooms and approved an optional Bible-infused curriculum, and the board is also considering a K-8 social studies rewrite that would connect Bible stories to American history while reducing emphasis on world cultures.