Austin, Texas – The Texas State Board of Education voted to require public school students to read Bible passages as part of a new mandatory statewide reading list.
The board approved the list in a 9-5 vote after several days of hearings. The requirement is scheduled to take effect in the 2030-2031 school year and will apply across grade levels in Texas public schools, which enroll about 5.5 million students.
The reading list includes roughly 200 total selections, including biblical passages and stories such as Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, Moses, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations. The list also includes nonreligious literary and historical works.
Supporters argue the Bible is important for understanding literature, history, and America’s cultural traditions. Critics, including religious-liberty groups and some lawmakers, say the mandate favors Christianity, reduces local control, and raises First Amendment concerns.
The vote follows other Texas efforts to expand religious content in public education, including Bluebonnet Learning materials and a requirement to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
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