Saying ‘no’ to Bible-based curriculum in Texas

From BJC staff reports and reporting by Baptist News Global

A proposed Bible-based language arts curriculum is causing concern for Texans who believe that public schools should be welcoming to all students, regardless of religious belief, and that religious instruction is best left to families and houses of worship.

BJC and Christians Against Christian Nationalism are working in partnership with Texas Freedom Network, Texas Impact, ADL Texas and Shalom Austin to defeat or rework the K-5 curriculum under consideration by state education officials, hosting webinars and trainings to empower Texans with the tools they need to make their comments known.

The proposed curriculum is replete with overtly Christian and other biblical references commonly taught in churches, and it uses stories about biblical figures such as King David and Jesus to address academic subjects and in a way that depicts religious beliefs as facts while offering minimal and sometimes disparaging information about other world religions. The Goldilocks fairy tale is used to teach children about the Sermon on the Mount and the Golden Rule.

The material also contains misleading and inaccurate material taught to children as young as kindergarten, and it cherry-picks Founding Era history to tell a one-sided story that overstates the religiosity of the Founders and ignores concerns about government intrusion into religion and “no establishment” principles that led to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The proposed curriculum changes sparked significant concern from many people of faith and nonreligious people across Texas, who argue that these changes threaten the separation of church and state and infringe upon the religious freedom of Texas students and their families. The advocacy groups organized two webinars this summer to train people on the best ways to register their opposition to the proposed language arts and reading curriculum, which the Texas Education Agency introduced without disclosing the identity of the publisher or its cost.

“It’s clear … this curriculum heavily favors Christianity and presents religious claims in a very literalistic fashion to the youngest of our children, which turns public schools into Sunday schools,” said Dr. Mark Chancey during one of the preparatory webinars. He is a professor of religious studies at Southern Methodist University.

The religious intent of the material surfaced with the passage of a 2023 law that changed the way Texas approves public curricula and granted teachers who use state-approved teaching plans immunity from violations of the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause.

“Public education should provide a space where children from all backgrounds can learn without religious influence being imposed upon them,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of BJC and lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism. “We call on all Texans who value religious freedom to join us in opposing this dangerous curriculum.”

One deadline to submit written comments was in August, and the Texas Education Agency and the State Board of Education were deluged with written comments overwhelmingly opposed to the curriculum. BJC submitted public comment with specific instances of misleading and inaccurate material taught to children, such as a reference to a Baptism in early America as an “expression of religious freedom” instead of a religious ceremony tied to a faith tradition.

On Sept. 10, 2024, people from across Texas convened in Austin to share comments directly with the Texas State Board of Education during a Public Comment Period, including members of the BJC staff and volunteers committed to the cause.

“I love my state and I love my faith tradition,” said Lisa Jacob, the North Texas Organizer for the Christians Against Christian Nationalism Campaign during her public testimony. “But believing and valuing my faith does not give me license to institutionalize my religion above others, as is the case with this OER curriculum.” She noted that teaching about religion is not an issue, but that is not the case with this proposed curriculum.

“America is not a ‘Christian nation’ — it is a nation of diverse beliefs, and our public schools should reflect that diversity,” said the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Davis, BJC’s director of development.

Testimony in opposition to the curriculum far outnumbered testimony in favor of the materials, with those registered to speak “against” the curriculum tripling the number registered to speak “for” it.

During the day-long comment period, those opposed to the curriculum held a press conference to share why, which included comments from people from a variety of faiths and Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat who represents an area north of Austin.

“There is a difference between preaching and teaching, and this curriculum is preaching,” Rep. Talarico said. “I’m all for teaching students about the great faith traditions of the world. They need that — to understand literature, to understand history, to enter into a global economy and interact with people from different faith traditions,” he said. “But by elevating one religion over the rest, we are violating the First Amendment of our Constitution.”

BJC and partner groups “have been working hard to make the democratic process easier and to help every Texan be able to express their opinions about this curriculum to the State Board of Education,” Tyler said. For more on this effort, read Tyler’s column in the fall 2024 edition of Report from the Capital.

If you live in Texas and have not yet submitted any comments, it’s not too late! Texans also may email their state education board members directly until a vote is taken in November. See below for how you can get involved.

Tips on crafting your public testimony

If you live in Texas, it’s not too late to weigh in on this troubling proposal. BJC encourages you to write an email to your representative on the State Board of Education sharing your concerns. For this issue — and for any future issue — remember that your story is the most effective testimony for or against any policy proposal, as it speaks to your personal experience. The various identities you carry are part of the power you bring to such testimonies. Your story also demonstrates the impact that these decisions have on real people.

Here are tips for crafting an email to make an impact with the Texas State Board of Education, created in partnership with the Texas Freedom Network:

Introduction
Share your name and identify yourself as a constituent of the district. Then, share who you are by telling your representative the identities that shape your experience and the communities in their constituency (a community of faith, a community of parents, etc.) that you represent.

Personal Story
Share your experience or vantage point. Are you a current or former student? Reflect on your experiences in school that exemplify the importance of inclusive environments. Are you a parent? Reflect on what you want for your children and share any barriers this curriculum presents toward making those dreams a reality. Are you a current or former educator? Reflect on your personal experiences in the classroom and what benefits your students. Don’t fit in any of those categories? Reflect on why you care despite your indirect impact.

Close with your “ask”
Be clear that you want the State Board of Education to amend the proposed TEA curriculum to remove unnecessary religious instruction and historical inaccuracies that uphold Christian nationalism.

Not sure who represents you on the Texas SBOE? Visit this link. If you send an email, let us know! You can contact us at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the fall 2024 edition of Report from the Capital. You can view it as a PDF or read a digital flip-through edition.