Proposed public school reading list faces push back over inclusion of Bible stories

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Public commenters and State Board of Education members went head-to-head over a proposed reading list for Texas public school social studies curriculum. The length and contents of the reading list were divided among speakers at a meeting in Austin on Tuesday.

A vote to approve the mandatory public school reading list was delayed earlier this year amid pushback over its length and content. On Tuesday, an amended list was back in front of the Board of Education and faced the same criticisms.

"I am very concerned about both of these lists," one speaker said.

The main controversy brought up by speakers is the requirement of Bible passages in public schools.

For example, in English 1, students would be expected to read Orwell, Dickens, and the story of David and Goliath.

"Whether one agrees or not, Christianity has played a major role in shaping Western civilization," a speaker said.

Critics argue that teaching a single religion in public schools crosses a line.

"Most people would agree that religious texts have educational value, but when the state dictates which religion and which version is worth of study, we have gone beyond education and into religious instruction," another speaker said.

The breadth of the list is also under scrutiny. Teachers and librarians who spoke at the meeting said educators can't teach everything on the list in one year.

State Board of Education member Will Hickman proposed amendments to the Texas Education Agency list that would reduce the number of required readings while keeping the Bible stories.

The opposition is asking the board to vote against the list and amendment, and revisit it a third time.

"The secret to increasing the diversity of texts that Texas students read is to give teachers the autonomy to add texts to an already burdensome set of requirements," a speaker said.

A final vote on the list is expected in June. If the list is approved, it would be used for the 2030-2031 school year as part of the state's social studies curriculum.