Texas education officials are considering changes to English and social studies instruction that would put readings from the Bible on a new state-required reading list for millions of public school students. The changes would also bring a U.S. and Texas centric lens to history, with less emphasis on world history, a shift some historians and progressive groups have opposed.
The Texas State Board of Education, an elected board with a 10-to-5 Republican majority, was meeting Tuesday to consider the proposals, which could shape instruction for a generation of students. Texas is home to 5.4 million public school students, about 11% of the total U.S. public school population.
The hotly debated reading list drew hours of public testimony.
A draft of the list, proposed by the Texas Education Agency, outlines more than 200 texts, with widely recognized classics such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle for kindergartners, “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle for seventh graders and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech for eighth graders. But it also includes passages from the Bible in middle and high school, raising questions about the separation of church and state.
Critics asked the board to dial back the biblical passages, arguing that they belong in a comparative religion class, or not at all.
Progressive groups and mainstream historians have criticized the proposal as promoting a vision of American exceptionalism, with a focus on Christianity’s influence, while leaving little room for world history or the contributions of other religions.
The combined changes to English and social studies would push Texas instruction toward something more like a classical education, an approach that focuses on the roots of Western thought and culture and teaches classic works of literature, including the Bible as a cultural touchstone.
The state board is expected to take preliminary votes on the book and social studies proposals later this week, with final votes expected in June. Any new requirements would not go into effect until 2030.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
© 2026 The New York Times Company