Texas State Board of Education fields concerns about Christian bias in proposed K-12 curriculum

Members of the public told the Texas State Board of Education on Thursday they worried a proposed elementary school curriculum infused with religious references is too complicated, biased toward Christianity and below the standards of a classical education.

The public hearing occurred a month after the Texas Education Agency unveiled the curriculum and offered the public an opportunity to share their thoughts with the body that will decide whether to approve the materials.

An initial review by The Texas Tribune of the proposed textbooks showed that religious references are featured prominently, with texts sourced from the Bible being the most heavily used.

The curriculum promotes, for example, lessons on Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” alongside the Gospel of Matthew, which centers on Jesus’ crucifixion and its atonement for human sin. References also include the parable of the good Samaritan in a social studies unit and the teaching of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” in a kindergarten unit about fairy tales and folktales.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said last month the curriculum as a whole — which consists of lesson plans for K-12 students and spans other subjects that don’t include religious references like math and science — is based on extensive cognitive science research and will help improve students’ reading and math scores.

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The board will decide whether to approve the curriculum in November. If it does, the decision to adopt the curriculum would rest with school districts. Those that use it will receive an incentive of up to $60 per student.

The extra money would be particularly attractive at a time when public schools have not received increased funding from the Legislature in half a decade. Schools are also grappling with expiring pandemic relief money, inflation and multimillion-dollar budget deficits.

The proposed curriculum has drawn praise from top Republican officials while raising eyebrows among some school district leaders, parents and education advocates. Much of the same was true Thursday, when people expressed discontent with the materials.

Some people who spoke before SBOE members said that after reviewing some of the curriculum’s materials they found themselves questioning whether children would understand something as complicated as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, a story about sinning and repenting.

Robert Norris, the founder of Grandparents for Public Schools, told board members that he is concerned that the materials focus too heavily on Christianity and not other religions.

“This could easily lead students to believe that this religion … is the best and most important one in the world,” Norris said. “That kind of messaging does not belong in our public schools.”

Some people said they don’t see the curriculum as classical education. Chris Byrd, an attorney, said he believed Morath was making curriculum decisions based on what he felt “needs to be the truth.”

Lynn Davenport, whose three children attended school in Richardson ISD, accused the TEA commissioner of “tickling the ears of the religious right.”

But others voiced their support for the curriculum. Jonathan Covey, the director of policy for Texas Values — a nonprofit organization that describes itself as being dedicated to faith, family, and freedom — encouraged board members to vet the materials to ensure they do not promote any particular viewpoint. He said he believes the curriculum is part of an academic and rigorous-based approach to education.

“We think it’s important having the Bible and Bible characters in the curriculum as part of a well-rounded understanding of America’s founding,” Covey said.

Many of the questions posed by board members sought clarification from speakers on certain talking points or materials they provided. Aicha Davis, a Dallas area Democrat who represents the SBOE’s District 13, said she has yet to see any research to back the assertion that the curriculum will improve student outcomes.

“It does seem like it’s experimental,” she said.

The proposal comes as part of a larger effort by officials in Texas and across the country to infuse conservative Christianity into public life, perhaps most notably through public schools, which they say are indoctrinating children through their teachings about race, sex and gender.

Religion has also played a role in the push for school vouchers in Texas, which would allow families to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private and religious schools. Throughout the nation’s largest voucher programs, the vast majority of funding is directed toward religious schools, according to a Washington Post examination.

The Texas Legislature passed a measure last year to allow schools to use unlicensed chaplains in mental health roles. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate, recently pledged that the Legislature would pass a proposal requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

Louisiana became the first state to pass such legislation earlier this month, resulting in a legal challenge. Oklahoma’s state superintendent Thursday directed public schools to teach the Bible.

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This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.