{"id":2621503,"date":"2026-06-30T12:17:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-to-include-the-bible-as-part-of-new-k-12-required-reading-lists\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T12:20:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:20:31","slug":"texas-to-include-the-bible-as-part-of-new-k-12-required-reading-lists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-to-include-the-bible-as-part-of-new-k-12-required-reading-lists\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas To Include The Bible As Part Of K-12 Required Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftexas-to-include-the-bible-as-part-of-new-k-12-required-reading-lists%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2621503&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Texas board of Education approved a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/20-episodes-exposing-fraud-illegalities-and-irregularities-in-the-2020-election\/\" title=\"20 Episodes Exposing Fraud, Illegalities, and Irregularities in the 2020 Election\">required reading list<\/a> for public schools, set to take effect in 2030, which includes excerpts from the Bible along with classic and historical texts such as Dante&#8217;s &#8220;The Inferno,&#8221; Shakespeare&#8217;s &#8220;hamlet,&#8221; and the Gettysburg Address. The list emphasizes understanding Western civilization and American history, with teachers permitted to add additional readings. Supporters argue that the Bible is essential for understanding cultural roots and history, while critics claim it infringes on religious liberties and promotes Christianity in public education. The decision coincides with a broader trend toward classical education, which emphasizes history and the liberal arts, driven by concerns over ideological influence in schools. Recent legal rulings upheld laws requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in classrooms,and governors like DeSantis and Abbott have promoted classical education initiatives and measures allowing prayer and Bible reading in schools. the move reflects ongoing debates over religion, education, and cultural values in Texas.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Texas Board of Education approved a new reading list June 26 that will require public school students in the state to read excerpts from the Bible. The list passed the Republican-run board in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/texas-board-education-approves-required-reading-list-bible-passages-5-million-students\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9-5 vote<\/a> and will officially go into effect in 2030, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/texas\/news\/texas-school-board-bible-readings-vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">starting<\/a> with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/incoming-nyc-schools-chancellor-backs-claim-that-america-was-built-on-lies\/\" title=\"Incoming NYC ... Chancellor Backs Claim That America Was \u2018Built On Lies\u2019\">elementary school students<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The required Biblical readings include stories about Moses from the book of Exodus, the parable of the prodigal son from the book of Luke, and excerpts from the Adam and Eve story in the book of Genesis, as well as others, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/sboe.texas.gov\/state-board-of-education\/sboe-2026\/sboe-2026-june\/june2026-sboe-agenda.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">proposed list<\/a>. This list also emphasizes other classic and historical texts, like <em>The Inferno<\/em> by Dante Alighieri, <em>Hamlet<\/em> by William Shakespeare, and the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln. The state has created a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/texas-curriculum-bible-board-vote-06530403ff91c10462382422003e109f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">literary canon<\/a> that will be universal across public schools, although teachers can choose to add additional readings to \u201csupplement the list,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.is\/dUvui\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to the Houston Chronicle.<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of the new requirements argue that the Bible is integral to understanding Western civilization and American history. Along with the reading list, the board also <a href=\"https:\/\/sboe.texas.gov\/state-board-of-education\/sboe-news\/texas-state-board-of-education-adopts-new-social-studies-standards-and-required-literature-reading-list#:~:text=AUSTIN%2C%20Texas%20%E2%80%94%20June%2026%2C,will%20learn%20history%20and%20literature.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">adopted<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pat-mccrorys-north-carolina-education-appointee-supported-critical-race-theory-training-for-disabled-preschoolers\/\" title=\"Pat McCrory&#039;s North Carolina ... Appointee Supported Critical Race Theory Training for Disabled Preschoolers\">social studies standards<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.houstonpublicmedia.org\/articles\/education\/2026\/06\/26\/555733\/bible-texas-public-school-curriculum-houston-isd-state-board-of-education\/#:~:text=The%20state%20board%20voted%20to,about%20cultural%20and%20racial%20diversity.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emphasizing<\/a> American and Texas history. Mary Elizabeth Castle, director of government relations at <a href=\"https:\/\/txvalues.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Values<\/a>, told The Federalist ahead of Friday\u2019s vote that the board\u2019s work last week \u201cdetermines what heroes, lessons, and principles live in Texas classrooms for the next decade or longer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTexas Values has successfully advocated for the [state board of education] to resist removing references to our nation\u2019s Christian founding and principles of religious freedom,\u201d Castle told The Federalist. \u201cThe current draft of the standards effectively tell the good and the bad about national and international historical events. However, the standards do so in a way that leads students to appreciate our country and not profane it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/26\/texas-bible-required-reading-public-school\">crit<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/26\/texas-bible-required-reading-public-school\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">i<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/26\/texas-bible-required-reading-public-school\">cs<\/a> and corporate media <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/show\/required-bible-stories-for-texas-students-challenge-separation-of-church-and-state\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">outlets<\/a> slammed the required reading list, saying it violates<strong> <\/strong>religious liberties or prioritizes Christianity. Ahead of the vote last week, a group of \u201cfaith leaders from several religions\u201d and others held a \u201ca\u00a0funeral mourning the loss of religious freedom\u00a0in public schools\u201d outside the Texas Board of Education, <a href=\"https:\/\/tfn.org\/faith-leaders-educators-and-families-mourn-the-death-of-religious-freedom-in-public-schools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/texas-freedom-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">left-leaning<\/a> Texas Freedom Network.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federal court recently upheld<\/a> a Texas law that leftists also claimed was a violation of religious liberty. Texas passed a <a href=\"https:\/\/capitol.texas.gov\/tlodocs\/89R\/billtext\/pdf\/SB00010I.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">law<\/a> mandating that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school classrooms, not long after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.la.gov\/legis\/LawPrint.aspx?d=1388961\">Louisiana<\/a> passed a similar law in 2024. An appeals court <a href=\"https:\/\/txvalues.org\/ten-commandments-law-upheld-time-for-school-districts-to-comply\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruled<\/a> this year that the Texas government can legally enforce the law, because it does not contradict the constitutional prohibition against establishing a state religion.<\/p>\n<p>The decisions by the Texas education board also come as the classical education model is on the rise, especially in states like Texas. This model, which emphasizes history and the liberal arts, started gaining attention in the United States as parents <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/07\/12\/i-moved-my-family-across-the-country-for-classical-education-and-you-can-too\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noticed<\/a> the leftist ideological currents in public education. An <a href=\"https:\/\/arcadiaed.com\/2024\/02\/market-analysis-of-u-s-classical-education-in-grades-pk-12\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analysis<\/a> by Arcadia Education indicated that, if the growth rate of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/schools-that-teach-the-classics-instead-of-marxism-see-exponential-growth\/\" title=\"... ... Experience Rapid Growth\">classical education continues<\/a>, around 1.4 million Pre-K-12 students will be enrolled in classical schools by 2035.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not just private schools embracing the classical model in recent years. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis overhauled New College of Florida\u2019s Board of Trustees in 2023 to establish a conservative majority. DeSantis hoped \u201cto transform the school\u201d around a classical education model, as The Federalist previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/01\/11\/hillsdale-of-the-south-desantis-appointees-are-restoring-floridas-public-liberal-arts-college-to-classical-roots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>. Last year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also <a href=\"https:\/\/gov.texas.gov\/news\/post\/governor-abbott-lauds-milestone-investment-to-ut-austins-school-of-civic-leadership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">praised<\/a> an investment in the University of Texas at Austin\u2019s School of Civic Leadership, which he said would \u201crestore\u201d classical civics education at the university.<\/p>\n<p>Abbott, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kvue.com\/article\/news\/local\/texas\/texas-state-board-education-considering-social-studies-curriculum-mandatory-reading-lists\/269-6a1838e0-690a-4ccb-aca5-121a1ed5f32a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expressed support<\/a> for the board\u2019s review of the social studies standards, has previously <a href=\"https:\/\/gov.texas.gov\/news\/post\/governor-abbott-signs-over-600-critical-bills-passed-during-89th-regular-legislative-session\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supported<\/a> legislation allowing schools to provide a time for prayer and Bible-reading for students and staff. The governor signed <a href=\"https:\/\/capitol.texas.gov\/tlodocs\/89R\/billtext\/pdf\/SB00011I.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Senate Bill 11<\/a>, which allowed schools to choose whether or not to include a prayer period in their schedules.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Skye Graham is an intern at The Federalist. She is a senior History major at Hillsdale College and serves as the assistant features editor for the Hillsdale Collegian.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Texas approves Bible excerpts in school curriculum starting 2030<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4302,"featured_media":2621505,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-CORRECT-Twitter-template-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[53016,35136,47955,81965,3694],"class_list":["post-2621503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bible-2","tag-education-policy","tag-k-12-education","tag-required-reading","tag-texas"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-CORRECT-Twitter-template-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4302"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2621503"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2621508,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621503\/revisions\/2621508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2621505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2621503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2621503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2621503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}