Americans United for Separation of Church and State’s President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement in response to the Texas State Board of Education today approving the Bluebonnet elementary curriculum in reading and language arts that improperly focuses on Christianity over other major religions, veers into Bible study and distorts and whitewashes history:
“Texas’ new Bible-infused elementary curriculum is part of the nationwide effort by Christian Nationalists to impose their religious beliefs on public school students. Families, not politicians or public school officials, should decide if, when and how their children engage with religion. Public schools are not Sunday schools. We urge all Texas school districts not to implement this curriculum. If families learn their public schools are using this curriculum, or introducing any coercive religious lessons in their classrooms, we encourage them to contact us at au.org. Our attorneys are standing by and ready to defend their religious freedom.”
Americans United wrote to the state board in August, explaining how the proposed curriculum would violate the U.S. Constitution’s religious freedom protections.
Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
Liz Hayes
Associate Vice President of Communications
[email protected]
