Texas Democrat Talarico defends stance on Bible curriculum amid conservative backlash

James Talarico, a Texas legislator and Democratic Senate hopeful, was featured in a 2025 video where he criticized a state-adopted English Language Arts program for presenting Bible narratives as factual history to kindergarten and first-grade students, calling the approach propaganda. The clip resurfaced and drew rebukes from conservatives such as Sen. Ted Cruz, who posted a brief comment. Defenders of the curriculum, including Mary Elizabeth Castle of Texas Values and First Liberty Institute, said the material helps students understand biblical references in literature and improves reading scores.

Talarico, a Christian seminarian, argued the policy harms children who cannot yet form independent worldviews and expressed concern for non-Christian students. He also reiterated his support for separation of church and state in a later interview with Joe Rogan. The debate highlights ongoing tensions over religious content in Texas public education.