The Texas State Board of Education in November 2024 voted 8-7 to approve an optional K-5 curriculum, called Bluebonnet Learning, that includes lessons drawn from Bible stories.
Texas public schools enroll more than 5 million students, and districts that adopt the state curriculum receive an additional $60 per student in funding.
Supporters, including Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, argue the Bible is central to understanding American history, literature, and art.
Critics, including civil liberties groups and some faith leaders, argue the lessons favor Christianity over other religions and risk violating the First Amendment's Establishment Clause.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Abington v. Schempp (1963) that mandatory devotional Bible reading in public schools is unconstitutional, but allowed the Bible to be taught for its literary and historical value.