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The Texas State Board of Education will vote on new reading lists and social studies curriculum this week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tThe Texas State Board of Education will vote on new reading lists and social studies curriculum this week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n
The Texas State Board of Education is voting this week on new curriculum that includes references to Christian texts and emphasizes Texas history.<\/p>\n
At its meeting in Austin, the 15-member board is expected to give final approval to changes to history, social studies and reading lists<\/a> that every public school student in Texas child is taught.<\/p>\n Advocates for the changes say they put Texas and Christianity in their proper perspective of their impact on U.S. history, as well as advocate for freedom and capitalism.<\/p>\n Critics say the curriculum favors Christianity over other religions and includes inaccuracies.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a concerted effort to teach history from a perspective that highlights Christian contributions and ignores others,\u201d said Southern Methodist University religious studies professor Mark Chancey. \u201cSo Christian contributions to American society are emphasized but not those of other groups, other peoples.\u201d<\/p>\n The proposed curriculum would teach third-graders about Moses\u2019 \u201ccontributions as a law-giver through the Ten Commandments,\u201d and \u201chow Christian beliefs … helped shape American ideas about equality, rights, and treating people with dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n The state board adopted the new social studies framework<\/a> last year and worked on rewriting the standards earlier this year<\/a>. A board-appointed academic adviser told SBOE the changes would \u201ccreate an American and Texas identity.\u201d<\/p>\n Rocia Fierro-Perez, political director of the left-leaning Texas Freedom Network, said the same tenets are found in other religions.<\/p>\n \u201cTo attribute these values exclusively to Christianity misrepresents the world and ignores the contributions of other beliefs that help shape American culture,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The new curriculum would go into effect in 2030. Members of her organization plan to testify before the board this week before it takes the final vote.<\/p>\n \u201cTexans need to know what\u2019s going on,\u201d she said. \u201cWe would love to have a reasonable conversation with members, but that seems further and further away.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill Zeeble is KERA\u2019s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org<\/a>. You can follow him on X @bzeeble<\/a>.<\/p>\n KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today<\/a>. Thank you.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t