Texas Board Mandates Statewide Reading List Including Bible, Prompting Liberal Outcry

The Texas State Board of Education approved a compulsory K-12 reading list that features the Bible, drawing criticism from liberals who see it as religious indoctrination.

In a 9-5 vote, the Texas State Board of Education, controlled by Republicans, adopted a compulsory K-12 reading list that will be implemented statewide by 2030, marking the first state to require a uniform set of books for its 5.5 million pupils. The list of nearly 200 titles includes passages from the Bible, prompting Democratic board member Rebecca Bell-Metereau and other liberals to label the move as an attempt to turn public schools into Sunday schools.

Proponents counter that biblical excerpts are limited and appear alongside works such as Orwell’s Animal Farm, General Douglas MacArthur’s farewell speech, and writings by Ayn Rand and Margaret Thatcher, offering a range of perspectives. The proposal also features classic authors like Shakespeare, Hawthorne, and a recurring presence of Langston Hughes, as well as figures such as Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King.

Education officials note the list could reduce instructional time, a concern echoed by Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts member Diane Miller, while data on remedial college enrollment highlight broader challenges in student readiness. The debate reflects ongoing tensions over curriculum control, religious content, and academic standards in Texas schools.