Americans United is warning public school districts in Texas not to adopt a new voluntary Bible curriculum for elementary school students that critics say take a problematic approach to religion in public schools.
AU has been working to sound the alarm about the Bluebonnet curriculum since August, when AU Lead Policy Counsel Nik Nartowicz and AU Texas chapter leaders warned the State Board of Education that the curriculum “favors Christianity over other religions and includes lessons that present Christianity and the Bible as true and appear designed to proselytize students.”
The New York Times reported that the curriculum has been under fire from scholars of religion and history, who call it simplistic and misleading. For example, one lesson plan for fifth graders lauds the role Christian groups played in ending slavery in America, but it fails to mention that Southern slave-owners used the Bible to buttress the practice.
An overarching criticism of the curriculum is that it ignores any negative comment about religion. As AU noted on its “Wall of Separation” blog, “The simple truth is that over the course of human history, the Bible (and other religious texts) have inspired some people to oppose injustice, lift up the downtrodden and fight for equal rights. But those same religious tomes have led others to wage war, hate their neighbors, slaughter innocents and create mayhem.”
Despite these flaws, the Texas State Board of Education voted to approve the curriculum in November.
Americans United criticized the move.
“Texas’ new Bible-infused elementary curriculum is part of the nationwide effort by Christian Nationalists to impose their religious beliefs on public school students,” AU President and CEO Rachel Laser said in a statement. “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.”
Laser did a round of media appearances to discuss the curriculum, including segments on CNN and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”