Texas just took a step toward putting the Bible in elementary classrooms
The Texas State Board of Education recently advanced a vote that would require elementary students to read passages from the Bible as part of curriculum materials.
Not optional enrichment. Not comparative religion. Required exposure. And that should set off alarms for anyone who cares about public education staying public.
Because once you move from “you may teach about religion” to “you must teach this religion,” you’re not teaching history anymore – you’re endorsing belief.
Let’s be honest about what this is. There’s a pattern here. It gets framed as cultural literacy. Historical context. Foundational knowledge. But the implementation tells a different story.
If this were truly about education, we’d see:
- Multiple religious texts taught side-by-side
- Contextual analysis
- Age-appropriate critical discussion
That’s not what’s happening. This is selective. Directed. And very intentionally narrow.
The loophole they don’t want you thinking about:
Texas already allows parents to opt their children out of certain classroom content – most notably LGBTQ+ related material. That mechanism exists. It’s been defended loudly and repeatedly as a matter of parental rights. Good. Then apply it consistently.
If a parent has the right to say: “I don’t want my child exposed to this material because it conflicts with our beliefs”
Then that right does not magically disappear when the content is religious. If this policy moves forward, parents should be using that same exemption to opt their children out of mandatory Bible instruction.
Not as a stunt. Not as a protest tactic. As a direct application of the rules that already exist.
Why this matters more than it seems:
This isn’t just about one policy. It’s about whether public schools become a space where:
- Students of all backgrounds are equally respected
- Or one belief system gets elevated above the rest
Because once that line gets blurry, it doesn’t un-blur. And it won’t stop at Bible passages.
What you can actually do
If you don’t like this direction, say so – directly, clearly, and on record.
Write to the board.
Mailing address:
School Board of Education
William B. Travis Building
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701
Keep it simple:
- State your opposition
- Emphasize religious neutrality in public schools
- Ask for equal application of parental rights
You don’t need to write a legal brief. You just need to be heard.
Final thought: Public education is one of the few places where kids from wildly different backgrounds share the same space. That only works if the system stays neutral. The moment the state starts deciding which beliefs deserve a captive audience, it stops being education and starts being endorsement.
And that’s a line worth holding.