The Texas State Board of Education gave final approval Friday to a controversial new elementary curriculum that features numerous Biblical references, from stories about King Solomon to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
The board voted 8 to 7 in favor of the state-developed “Bluebonnet Learning” English and language arts materials, which critics say privilege Christianity over other religions. A narrow majority of the board — consisting of 11 Republicans and four Democrats — had signaled earlier in the week it would support the new curriculum.
Schools aren’t required to use Bluebonnet Learning, but the state will offer financial incentives to districts that do.
The curriculum has been the subject of scrutiny and criticism since the state unveiled it in May.
Among other Biblical references, the K-5 curriculum teaches kindergarteners about the Golden Rule using text from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, “along with references to Islam and Hinduism,” the teacher’s guide states; introduces 5th graders to Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” “based on the Christian Bible story about the last meal of Jesus of Nazareth”; and features a story on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, “derived from the Book of Luke, a book of the New Testament of the Christian Bible.”
Mark Chancey, a religious studies professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, testified earlier in the week that he’s not opposed to teaching religion in schools, but the Texas curriculum overemphasizes Christianity over other religions.
“Not only is it taught in such a way that’s going to promote some religions over others, but in many cases it even just gets the basic facts wrong,” he said.
But proponents said the materials are well-rounded and teach students about classic literature.
This is a developing story.
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