Photos from Texas Freedom Network Education Fund’s press conference can be found here
A live stream of the press conference can be found here
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2024
Contact: Emily Witt, [email protected]
Austin, TX — Scholars and advocates from a wide array of religious and grassroots organizations today called on the State Board of Education (SBOE) to reject a Bible-infused, state-developed reading curriculum for Texas grade school students.
“Teaching about the influence of religion in history and culture is an important part of a well-rounded education, but you can’t turn public schools into Sunday schools,” said Carisa Lopez, deputy director of the Texas Freedom Network. “This is fundamentally a question of respect for religious freedom. Public schools can’t favor one particular religion and promote religious beliefs many students and their families simply don’t share.”
Lopez spoke at a press conference as the SBOE heard public testimony about the proposed reading curriculum developed by the Texas Education Agency. Following today’s public hearing, the state board is scheduled to vote on approval or rejection of the curriculum at its November meeting.
“The proposed curriculum violates the fundamental constitutional principle of no establishment of religion by government by teaching Bible stories to children as young as kindergarten in ways that present the stories in devotional ways and faith claims as fact,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee. “This kind of teaching belongs in Christian Sunday Schools, but not in Texas public schools. For children and teachers who are not Christian, this instructional framework sends the message that they do not fully belong.”
“I rely on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to ensure that our government and its institutions serve people of all faiths, without favoring one religion over another, or any religion over no religion,” said Rabbi Nancy Kasten, chief relationship officer for the interfaith organization Faith Commons and a board member of Texas Impact. “Texans who believe that public schools should prepare all students to respect, live with, and cooperate with Americans of all religions, races, genders, and ethnicities should encourage our SBOE representatives to reject this curriculum, support them if they choose to do so, and be sure to voice our concerns if they do not.”
Dr. Mark Chancey, a professor of biblical studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said the proposed curriculum has serious problems.
“Factual errors, religious bias, promoting particular religious views to vulnerable young children are serious problems,” said Dr. Chancey. “These problems are pervasive and structural, and they violate the religious freedom of Texas families. For these reasons, the Texas Education Agency should scrap these lessons. Our young children deserve better, and Texas deserves better.”
By privileging the beliefs of one faith, the proposed reading curriculum fails to help students develop a genuine understanding of practices and perspectives outside their own, said Upneet Kaur, senior education manager at the Sikh Coalition.
“I firmly believe that children and families, including Texas’ own Sikh community, have the right to a government-funded public education that does not privilege the views or experiences of one specific community and instead uplifts their state’s rich diversity, including the countless faith, spiritual, and ethical traditions that comprise the state’s religious landscape,” Kaur said.
“Faith is an important choice in many Americans’ lives and a critical part of American and world history,” said Shaimaa Zayan of CAIR-Texas (Council on American Islamic Relations). “To ensure inclusivity, the Texas curriculum must remain neutral and provide equal space for historical materials rooted in other religions and ideologies.”
A report from the TFN Education Fund, authored by religious studies scholar and Christian theologian David Brockman, found that the proposed state reading curriculum for students in kindergarten through Grade 5 is infused with lessons that overwhelmingly emphasize the Bible over sacred texts of other religions, subtly portray Christian faith claims as true in ways that verge on proselytizing students, and is riddled with errors and historical distortions.
The partners who contributed to today’s press conference include the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Asian Texans for Justice, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, CAIR TX, The Sikh Coalition, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), Texas American Federation of Texas (AFT), and Texas Impact.
###
