Americans United and allied organizations sent a letter to Texas superintendents Jan. 30, urging them and their school boards to reject the new K-5 Bluebonnet reading and language arts curriculum, which the groups say is infused with Christian Nationalism. The letter warns superintendents and school boards that implementing the optional curriculum risks imposing state-sponsored religious beliefs on Texas students in violation of their First Amendment rights.
Introduced in May 2024, the curriculum has faced widespread criticism, including from AU, for embedding religious content that favors Christianity over all other religious perspectives. Despite overwhelming public outcry, the State Board of Education approved the curriculum by an 8-7 vote on Nov. 22, 2024.
AU and allied groups — the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU national office, Center for Inquiry and the Freedom From Religion Foundation — are advising Texas schools not to implement the voluntary curriculum.
“In accordance with both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions, public schools may teach about religion, but they may not teach religion,” observes the letter. “Lessons about religion must be taught from a secular, non-devotional, and objective perspective — public schools may not teach, for example, that the Bible is a true and literal historical record. Nor may teachers promote a particular religious doctrine to students or tailor their instruction to one denomination’s preferential interpretation of a religious text.”
Americans United criticized the curriculum for its lack of objectivity.
“Students and their families, not politicians or public school officials, should decide if, when, and how to engage with religion,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. “We urge all Texas school districts to reject this Bible-infused curriculum, which is part of a Christian Nationalist scheme to impose their religious beliefs on public school students. Public schools should be open and welcoming to all of our children.”