Will Texas Include Jesus in the School Curriculum? Maybe

Will bible stories find their way into Texas schools? Time and a vote by a state board will tell.

The controversial move comes after Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) released their materials and reports for this year and parents found that materials include biblical references to historical literature.

Community Backlash

Some parents who found out about this were alarmed. Many of these parents told KERA News that they fear this is one step closer to indoctrinating K-5th grade students into one religion over another.

One Southern Methodist University professor, Mark Chancey, even went so far as to say that the inclusion of biblical references further adds to the fact that Christianity is favored more in America than any other religion, and that students holding other religious beliefs will feel excluded.

Chancey also added that it's more about indoctrination when it comes to children at such a young age. They are in the time of their lives where they are maturing and developing critical thinking skills, as opposed to a history class in high school to older students, he claimed.

Texas Education Agency Response To Parent's Concerns

The TEA responded to negative claims by reminding the public that theses biblical references are included to add literary and historical value. They added that it's added to the content to better provide strong backgrounds for students to learn.

One member of the advisory board, Thomas Lindsay, also made points with regard to negative views of biblical narratives in K-5 curriculum.

Lindsay acknowledged that a line must be drawn for public education and religion, but that you cannot fully understand western civilization and, for that matter, the world without understanding these common biblical references.

Revisions to Curriculum And A New Date

The TEA agreed to revise certain portions of the K-5 curriculum following popular demand. Sections of classroom lessons will avoid various biblical references, such as the act of "casting lots" in the story of Queen Esther.

The Texas State Board of Education will meet again in November to make their decision on the official curriculum.