Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks to reporters after casting his early vote in the state’s primary runoff election at a polling station in Austin, Texas, U.S. May 18, 2026. REUTERS/Joel Angel Juarez
(Austin, Texas) – Texas education officials approved a statewide reading list that will require public school students to study selected Bible passages, making the state the first known in the country to mandate biblical text in public classroom reading requirements.
The Texas State Board of Education approved the change in a 9-5 vote. The requirement is scheduled to begin with elementary grades in the 2030-2031 school year and expand across grade levels, placing biblical selections alongside works from authors such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.
Supporters say the passages are being taught as literature and history, arguing that students cannot fully understand American culture, law and public life without knowing the Bible’s influence. Critics say the mandate favors Christianity, underrepresents other faiths and invites a constitutional fight over church and state.
The decision follows other Texas moves to put religion more directly into public schools, including a classroom Ten Commandments requirement. Because Texas is one of the largest textbook markets in the country, the curriculum fight could influence what students see far beyond the state’s borders.