Inside a New Bible-Infused Texas English Curriculum
This school year, many Texas districts are teaching from an elementary curriculum that features extensive content about the Christian faith, according to a New York Times analysis.
” class=”css-dc6zx6 ey68jwv2″>
By Troy Closson
A new state-sponsored English curriculum infused with lessons about the Bible and Christianity could reach tens of thousands of Texas schoolchildren this year.
More than 300 of the state’s roughly 1,200 districts signed up to use the English language arts lessons, according to data obtained by The New York Times through a public records request. Many are rural, and relatively small.
The curriculum was created as several states, including Oklahoma and Louisiana, fought to bring prayer or religious texts like the Ten Commandments into public school classrooms, blurring the line between church and state.
Texas leaders adapted the curriculum from a popular reading program made by the education company Amplify. A large majority of its lessons are typical for grade-school children, but the Texas version features new content on Christianity, the Old and New Testaments and the life of Jesus, according to a Times analysis of thousands of pages of teaching guides and activity books.
The emphasis on Christianity is greater than in other popular reading programs, scholars say. It is especially notable as Republican leaders mount campaigns against public school curriculums that they argue indoctrinates children in left-leaning ideologies.
And as a national movement to expand religious instruction arises in public education, the lessons could serve as a potent blueprint for other states.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The post Inside a New Bible-Infused Texas English Curriculum appeared first on New York Times.
