The Texas State Board of Education is set to take a final vote next week on a proposed statewide reading list that would require public school students to read Bible passages and religious stories in English classes.
The vote is expected during the board’s June 22 to 26 meeting in Austin. If approved, the list would apply to kindergarten through high school students in Texas public schools beginning in the 2030 school year.
Board Reviews Required Reading List
The proposal would add roughly 200 required readings across grade levels. About a dozen selections involve Bible passages, religious stories, or scripture connected mostly to Christian traditions.
The proposal grew out of a 2023 state law that requires a literary works addendum to the state’s reading language arts standards. The same law also changed how Texas reviews and adopts instructional materials.
The board gave the list preliminary approval in April. The measure then moved through public review before the expected final vote in June.
If adopted, the list would become part of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for reading language arts. That means districts and charter schools would have to account for the readings in future instruction.
Bible Stories Begin in Elementary School
The proposed list introduces Bible stories in the early grades. First graders would read “Noah’s Ark,” while second graders would encounter “David and Goliath.” Third graders would read “Daniel and the Lion’s Den.” The proposed version would come from a Christian media organization founded by televangelist Pat Robertson.
Fourth graders would read Luke 14:7-11. The New Testament passage presents Jesus teaching humility through a lesson about guests choosing seats at a banquet. The readings would appear in English language arts classes. They would not be part of a separate elective course on religion or Bible literature.
Older Students Would Read Scripture
The religious selections continue in middle and high school. Sixth graders would read Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus tells listeners not to be anxious about food, clothing, or life. Seventh graders would read the Beatitudes from Matthew 5. The passage includes blessings for the poor in spirit, the meek, and the peacemakers.
High school students would read Genesis 2, 1 Corinthians 13, and chapters from Job. Genesis 2 includes the creation of Adam and Eve, while 1 Corinthians 13 contains one of Christianity’s most widely quoted passages about love.
The list also includes Psalm 23, Ecclesiastes 3, and Lamentations 3. Those texts appear in the Hebrew Bible, though several proposed translations are commonly associated with Christian publishing traditions.
Proposed Materials Show Specific Translations
The debate is not only about whether students should read religious texts. It is also about which versions they would read. The proposed list of literary works identifies specific selections and translations for several Bible readings. Translation choices matter because the Bible’s original texts were not written in modern English.
The list includes the New International Reader’s Version, the King James Version, and the English Standard Version. Each translation has its own religious history, reading level, and wording. Genesis 2 has drawn attention for its account of Eve’s creation. In one proposed version, Eve is described as a helper who is “just right” for Adam.
Other translations use different wording. Some describe Eve as a partner, while others use older language tied to long-standing theological debates.
Critics Point to Religious Preference Concerns
Opponents say the list gives Christianity a privileged place in public school instruction. They argue that the selections rely heavily on Christian texts while giving little attention to other religious traditions. Texas classrooms include students from many faiths and students with no religious affiliation. Critics say that makes neutrality especially important when the state requires religious readings.
Some board members who voted against the proposal have warned that public schools should not appear to promote one faith tradition. They have also questioned whether younger students can easily separate religious instruction from literary study.
The legal concern centers on the First Amendment. A landmark 1963 ruling barred devotional Bible readings and school-sponsored prayer in public schools under the Establishment Clause. That ruling did not ban academic study of religion. It drew a constitutional line between teaching about religion and using public schools for religious exercise.
Supporters Say Students Need Biblical Literacy
Supporters argue that the Bible has shaped American literature, history, political speeches, and public language. They say students need biblical literacy to understand many references that appear in major works.
Stories such as David and Goliath, Exodus, Job, and the Prodigal Son are common cultural references. Supporters say students who do not know those stories may miss important meaning in literature and history.
Some Republican board members have defended the list as part of a classical education approach. They say students should study foundational texts that influenced Western civilization and American public life.
Supporters also argue that the passages can be taught for literary and historical value. They say inclusion in an English class does not automatically make the instruction devotional.
Teachers Could Face Classroom Challenges
The proposal could place teachers in difficult positions. Many English teachers are trained to teach reading, writing, and literature, not religious interpretation. Some selections require careful context. Exodus, for example, has influenced American politics, abolitionist language, and civil rights rhetoric.
The same story has also been used in different ways, sometimes in conflict. Responsible instruction would need to explain how religious texts have been interpreted across history. That could be difficult without strong teacher guidance. A Bible passage can sound literary, historical, or devotional depending on how it is presented.
Districts May Need New Materials
The reading list could also affect local school planning. Districts may need to buy books, adjust lesson plans, and train teachers before the 2030 implementation date. State materials indicate that implementation would follow approval through curriculum planning, instructional materials, and assessments. That process could shape classrooms for years after the vote.
Texas is one of the country’s largest education markets. State reading requirements can influence textbook publishers and curriculum companies beyond Texas.
The list could also reduce local flexibility. Districts would still make many classroom decisions, but required readings would narrow the space for alternative texts.
Final Vote Expected in Austin
The board’s final vote is expected during its June 22 to 26 meeting in Austin. If the proposal passes, schools would have several years before the readings take effect.
The latest public materials point to implementation in the 2030 school year. That gives districts time to prepare, but it also gives parents, teachers, and legal groups time to challenge or influence how the list is used.
The decision will determine whether Texas becomes a national test case for mandatory Bible readings in public school English classes. It will also decide how far the state is willing to go in defining religious texts as required literary knowledge.
For now, the proposal sits at the intersection of education, religion, and state power. The next vote will show whether Texas moves forward with one of the country’s most closely watched changes to public school reading.
