Texas authorities approve inclusion of Bible reading in school curriculum

An illustrative image of a Bible on a school desk in a classroom. Photo: Getty Images

On April 11, 2026, the Texas State Board of Education gave preliminary approval to include biblical texts in the mandatory literature list for public schools. This was reported by Christian Post.

The decision was made by a majority vote: the Republican-majority panel voted 9-5 to approve the reading list, which will become mandatory for all public schools in Texas starting in 2030, pending a final vote scheduled for June.

The list of mandatory works includes passages from the Old and New Testaments. In particular, texts such as the Golden Rule, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the story of the Apostle Paul's conversion, Psalm 23, as well as individual fragments from the Gospel of Matthew and the epistles of the Apostle Paul are provided for different grades.

Additionally, high school students are offered the study of more complex Bible books and stories, including David and Goliath, the Tower of Babel, the Book of Ecclesiastes, and excerpts from the Book of Job. All texts are distributed according to English language and reading proficiency levels.

Besides biblical texts, the list also includes works of world literature, such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Fahrenheit 451," "The Odyssey," as well as famous speeches, including Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

If granted final approval, the list would apply to the state's approximately 5.4 million students from kindergarten through 12th grade and mandates specific texts that students must read either in full or in excerpt form, alongside classic children's stories, novels and other literature. Previously, Texas authorities had already taken measures to strengthen the religious component in education, including allowing the use of chaplains in schools and an initiative to display the Ten Commandments in educational institutions.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the US President called on the pontiff to stop pandering to the radical left.

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