Texas education officials are considering adding passages and books from the Bible to required reading lists for students, The New York Times first reported.
The proposed reading list from the Texas State Board of Education for seventh grade students includes selections from the Book of Jonah, the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel, the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis, and Chapter 3 of the Book of Lamentations, according to The Hill.
The board is scheduled to meet in Austin this week for a preliminary vote on the reading list and will have a final vote in June.
If approved, the new required list would not take effect until 2030.
CBS News reported Wednesday that other Bible stories on the list include the Parable of the Prodigal Son for first grade students, the “Road to Damascus” for third graders, and Ecclesiastes and the Book of Job in high school English classes.
In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed a law requiring the state’s education agency to recommend at least one required Bible reading per grade in K–12 schools, according to CBS News.
The state agency surveyed thousands of teachers to compile a list of around 300 literary works that includes biblical selections and classic literature.
The Texas Education Agency did not immediately respond to phone and email inquiries from The Daily Signal on Wednesday.
