The Texas State Board of Education approved biblical instruction in K–5 public school classrooms by a slim 8–7 vote, a decision that has drawn both acclaim and potential legal challenges. This action puts Texas in line with neighboring states Oklahoma and Louisiana, both of which are embroiled in legal battles over the integration of religion in public education, according to ABC13.
Texas schools who decide to use the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, which includes biblical tales such as the Sermon on the Mount for kindergarteners, will receive an extra $60 per student, though it is not required. The president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Rachel Laser, told The Hill that, after focusing their legal efforts on Oklahoma and Louisiana, “It’s not unlikely that we’re going to see a lawsuit in Texas.” This incentive comes at a time when the public is deeply engaged with the separation of church and state.
The Texas American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is adamantly opposed to the action, arguing that it compromises the integrity of the teaching profession in addition to infringing on the constitutional line between church and state. “Texas AFT [American Federation of Teachers] believes that not only do these materials violate the separation of church and state and the academic freedom of our classroom, but also the sanctity of the teaching profession,” the organization stated in a statement obtained by The Hill. On the other hand, supporters contend that because of its significance in American history, Christianity should be taught in schools.
While participating in a legal endeavor in Oklahoma, Rick Garnett, a law professor and the director of Notre Dame Law School’s Program on Church, State & Society, acknowledges that using religious texts solely for evangelization is problematic but argues that their educational use is constitutional amid the contentious debate. He told The Hill that “the permissibility of this program” shouldn’t depend on how much emphasis is placed on one religion over another, so long as the teaching doesn’t involve prophecy.
Legal experts expect a lively discussion over religious freedom and educational content as the case develops. Texas public schools must decide whether to implement a curriculum that is rife with moral and legal dilemmas or stick with secular teaching methods at a time when, according to Laser, Trump’s reelection is “giving oxygen” to the movement to integrate Christian education into public schools, as reported by The Hill.
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