The Bible as a Public School Textbook?

The Bible as required reading in American public schools? Texas and other states think so.

EdWeek reported on 1/29/26 that,

“Debates over what constitutes the American literary canon – and whether Bible excerpts should be a part of it – erupted…during a tense Texas State Board of Education discussion over a proposed list of books, plays, poems, and other literary works that all students would be required to read in grades K-12.”

“After hours of public comment and deliberation, the board voted 13-1 to delay voting on the list until April, to provide more time for feedback and potential revisions.”

“But if some version of the requirement is approved, Texas will be the first state in the country to  mandate that every student in its schools read the same texts – including, controversially, 10 different selections from the Bible and several Christian parables.”

“These texts serve as ‘foundational knowledge,’ a canon of literature that all students should read and understand, said Shannon Trejo, TEA’s deputy commissioner of school programs…”

Texas school districts have had the state’s blessing to either adopt, reject, or adapt Bible stories included in a new reading curriculum approved in 2024.

According to a recent article from The 74 (1/26/26),

“…the Texas Freedom Network, which has been critical of including Bible lessons in the curriculum, showed that just 17 of the state’s 100 largest districts adopted the 2024 curriculum and were often slow to order the materials.”

When I was a college undergraduate a long time ago, I took a course from a Jewish rabbi titled “The Five Great Religions of the World.” What I remember most from the course was how similar most of the great religions are when teaching life’s important lessons. Yes, there are definitely differences, but basic tenets remain similar. So, I wonder what the Texas State Board of Education would say if a group of Muslims lobbied the group to approve 10 selections from the Quran, or several parables from Confucius?

It’s nice to think that there are common teachings that every American can benefit from, but given our political and cultural divisions these days, maybe groups like the Texas State Board of Education should stick with making sure young learners attain and maintain skills to make them better readers, writers, problem-solvers. Character development undoubtedly is an important skill to practice, but there are tons of resources available to build strong character that doesn’t require religion to enter the classroom.

Personalized learning demands that young learners have the right to design their own learning plans, which may or may not include religious lessons. But if they do, those lessons should originate with the young learner, their family, and their adult learning coach and not from a state board of education with a history of mixed motives.

Finally, if state boards of education insist on including Bible lessons into public school curriculum, here’s a lesson they might want to include as it applies to how we all are supposed to treat those less fortunate, which by the way, is an excellent goal to include in a personalized learning plan:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”

I’m guessing conservative school boards will stray away from Matthew 25: 31-40 as part of their “literary canon” since it hits too close to one of the right’s favorite topics these days.

Wanna guess what that topic is? Til tomorrow. SVB