Overview
- The Republican‑majority Texas State Board of Education voted 9–5 on Friday, June 26, 2026 to approve a statewide required reading list that names roughly 200 texts and includes about a dozen specified Bible passages.
- The board set a staggered rollout that begins with elementary grades in the 2030–31 school year and brings higher grades into the program in later years.
- Religious leaders, teachers, historians and civil‑liberties groups say the list favors Protestant translations, presents Jewish passages through a Christian lens, and lacks texts from other faiths, which they argue privileges Christianity in public schools.
- Supporters say the Bible is an important literary and historical influence on Western and American culture and argue the passages will be taught as texts rather than devotional material.
- Legal experts and advocacy groups expect court challenges under the First Amendment and observers warn the policy could reshape textbook choices, classroom time use, and local teacher autonomy across Texas districts.