
Legal rights groups urge school leaders not to adopt Texas' Bible-infused curriculum
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Center for Inquiry and the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent superintendents and their school boards a letter Thursday telling them that adopting the curriculum, called Bluebonnet Learning, would 'unlawfully impose a set of religious beliefs upon your students and violate their constitutionally guaranteed right to be free from religious coercion.'
The letter suggests a willingness by the groups to take legal action to stop Texas schools from adopting the materials.
'Our organizations, which have long fought for religious freedom for all, will closely monitor any school district across the state that considers implementing the Bluebonnet curriculum and will take any action that is necessary and appropriate to protect the rights of Texas children and their parents,' the letter reads.
In a statement to The Texas Tribune responding to the letter, a spokesperson for the Texas Education Agency said 'public schools may not provide religious instruction, and there is no religious instruction in Bluebonnet Learning.'
'Bluebonnet Learning is comprised of instructional materials that have a broad base of topics including history, literature, the arts and culture which, when contextually relevant, can include religious topics sampling from a wide range of faiths,' the statement said. 'The materials include content from or about varied religious source materials for the literary and historical value of the content and its connection to creating a strong background of knowledge for students.'
The State Board of Education narrowly approved the free-to-use elementary school curriculum in November, with a temporary Gov. Greg Abbott appointee casting the deciding vote.
Schools that choose to adopt the materials this year could begin using them for free at the start of the 2025-26 school year. The state will offer an incentive of $60 per student to districts that choose to do so. The education agency said the funding would allow schools to offset the costs of printing the curriculum's materials.
The curriculum uses reading and language arts lessons to advance or establish concepts in other subjects, such as history and social studies. Many of the lesson's critics, which include religious studies scholars, note that the curriculum's lessons reference Christianity more than any other religion. They believe the disparity could lead to the bullying and isolation of non-Christian students, undermine church-state separation and grant the state far-reaching control over how children learn about religion.
Critics have also questioned the accuracy of some lessons, saying the materials whitewash America's history of slavery and racism. Many see the curriculum as part of a growing Christian nationalist movement, which holds the belief that the United States' founding was ordained by God and that its laws and institutions should favor Christians.
Education officials and advocates for the curriculum say references to Christianity will provide students with a better understanding of the country's history and the impact of important texts like the Bible on the world. They say the materials cover a broad range of faiths and only make references to religion when appropriate. Officials also believe the curriculum provides students with an in-depth understanding of the abolition of slavery, highlights the importance of events like Juneteenth and the Civil Rights Movement, and celebrates the contributions of Black Texans.
Abbott, following the curriculum's passage, called Bluebonnet 'a critical step forward to bring students back to the basics of education and provide the best education in the nation.'
Since the curriculum received approval in November, at least one school board — the South San Antonio school district — has voted to adopt the materials. The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw district in Fort Worth plans to use the math portion of the materials and avoid the reading materials infused with the Bible lessons. The Conroe school district, located north of Houston, started considering whether to adopt the lessons. And the Denton school district in North Texas publicly stated that it does not plan to consider the curriculum.
'There's a lot of interest from districts around the state in Bluebonnet, and we are sort of non-stop helping answer those inquiries, supporting them, answering their questions, trying to help facilitate transition,' Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told the State Board of Education earlier this week.
School districts have wide latitude when it comes to adopting lesson plans. A district could, for example, decide to use parts of Bluebonnet and ignore other sections, such as the chapters that reference Christianity. Or a district could choose to heavily reference the biblical lessons in Bluebonnet while using another curriculum for other teachings.
Legal experts told The Texas Tribune that recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority have eroded decades of precedent and made it unclear what state actions constitute a violation of the Establishment Clause, which prohibits state endorsement of a particular religion.
The Supreme Court decided, for instance, that a Washington state high school football coach did not violate the First Amendment by conducting personal prayers on the field after team games. In doing so, the justices ended what many referred to as the Lemon test, a standard the court relied upon to assess whether a government action, in part, represented an 'excessive entanglement' between church and state.
During a State Board of Education meeting last year, Austin Kinghorn, the state's deputy attorney general for legal strategy, told board members that he sees teaching about religion and the Bible as 'absolutely permissible' under the Constitution.
'So long as it's done in an objective, academic manner and it does not amount to proselytization,' Kinghorn said.
The letter sent by the legal organizations on Thursday expressed the groups' stance that the Bluebonnet curriculum 'treats Christianity and the Bible as true.' The organizations cited many lessons in the curriculum, including one for fifth-graders on the painting of The Last Supper. The organizations say it presents the Book of Matthew as 'a literal and historical record of what happened.'
The groups reference a unit they say describes Jesus as a historical figure 'without any qualification' and that directs teachers to mention that the 'Christian Bible explains that Jesus rose from the dead.' The groups also criticize a lesson that asks students to repeat the phrase that starts the creation story in the Book of Genesis and an activity requesting that children remember the order in which the Bible says God created the universe.
Richard Conn, general counsel for the Center for Inquiry, an organization advocating against religion in government, said in a statement that the Bluebonnet curriculum represents 'a clear and obvious Establishment Clause violation, even if Texas legislators have decided to pretend otherwise.'
Conn added: 'We urge school superintendents not to make that same mistake and instead to stand up for the rights and constitutionally protected freedoms of the students, families, and communities they serve.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNN
5 minutes ago
- CNN
How Texas' redistricting effort is having major implications across the US
Congressional news Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow The outcome of the political battle over Texas' redistricting effort is already having major implications across the country. Other Republican-dominated states are considering following Texas' lead as Democratic governors weigh their options to retaliate with their own mid-decade redistricting efforts. The Texas legislature, meanwhile, is at a standstill after House Democrats fled the state in a bid to block the Republican effort to redraw congressional districts in the GOP's favor. President Donald Trump has pushed the redistricting effort, and Gov. Greg Abbott called the 30-day special session in which the GOP unveiled proposed maps that could shift as many as five US House seats into the Republican column. Abbott is now threatening to remove the Democratic lawmakers who left the state in a bid to block the House from voting on those new maps. Here's a look at what's happening in Texas, and why it matters: Congressional district lines are required to be redrawn once a decade, after the census. But mid-decade maneuvers like the one in Texas are unusual. Texas Republicans want to pad the US House GOP majority ahead of next November's midterm elections by increasing the number of seats Democrats need to flip — currently three — to claim House control. Democrats face a much stiffer challenge in winning back the Senate. But if they win the House majority, it would give the party a foothold for Trump's final two years in office. Democrats could slow or halt the president's legislative agenda and use House committees to investigate his administration's actions, much as they did in the last two years of Trump's first term, from early 2019 to early 2021. The proposed maps unveiled last week by Texas' majority-Republican legislature would aggressively redraw the state's congressional districts to make five seats much more likely to favor GOP candidates. The new Texas map features 30 districts that Trump would have won in 2024 if the map was in place, up from 27 under the current district lines. In total, there are five more seats that Trump won by more than 10 percentage points, according to data from the Texas Legislative Council. The proposed map eliminates the seat of Rep. Greg Casar, who would likely be forced into a primary with another liberal Democrat, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, in the Austin area. Republicans also propose merging the Houston-area seat of Rep. Al Green with a vacant seat held by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in office earlier this year. Green's district was altered more than any other sitting member in the plan. The map would also make two south Texas seats held by Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez more Republican-leaning. But multiple Democrats view the seats as still in reach for the two centrist members who typically performed ahead of statewide or national Democrats. Democrats are in the minority in the Texas House, but they hold enough seats that they can deprive the chamber of the number of legislators necessary to do business under House rules. That's why many fled the state on Sunday, with most flying to Illinois and others traveling to New York, outside the reach of Texas law enforcement. The departed lawmakers could face $500-a-day fines that can't be paid with campaign funds — though the House Democrats and their supporters are already raising money to help cover those fines. Former US Rep. Beto O'Rourke told CNN his political action committee, Powered By People, which raised more than $700,000 for state House Democrats during a quorum-break in 2021, will 'raise whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to help these Texas Democrats with their lodging, with being able to feed themselves, supporting them with these $500-a-day fines.' 'We have their backs all the way,' he said. Meanwhile, Democratic governors in deep-blue states are plotting retribution. The governors of California, Illinois, Maryland New Jersey and New York have suggested they will explore redrawing their own congressional district maps to add more Democratic-leaning seats, or left the door open to doing so. 'The gloves are off, and I say, bring it on,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday. Once a critical swing state, increasingly red Ohio is required to redraw its congressional districts this fall because the 2022 map was struck down as unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court. The makeup of the Buckeye State's high court has changed since that ruling, and the new court is seen as much more likely to green-light a map that favors Republicans, who hold 10 of the state's 15 congressional seats. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently floated the idea of a mid-cycle redistricting in his state, too. 'I think the state malapportioned,' he told reporters in July, adding it would be 'appropriate to do a redistricting here in the mid-decade.' Punchbowl News reported the White House is pushing Missouri to redraw its districts to target one of just two Democratic-held seats, that of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, in a state where the GOP holds the other six House seats. The White House has also urged Indiana to redraw districts in which Democrats hold two of nine seats. Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan's northwest Indiana district would likely be the target if the Hoosier State were to do so. The redistricting battles cannot carry on without deadlines. In many states, including Texas, candidates must file for next year's primary ballots before the end of this year. Abbott on Monday indicated he could seek more extreme measures than daily $500 fines to try to force Democrats' hands or circumvent their quorum-break. He threatened to remove Democrats from the state House if they don't return by 4 p.m. ET, when the legislature is scheduled to convene in Austin. Abbott told Fox News that the Democratic lawmakers had 'absconded' from their responsibilities. 'I believe they have forfeited their seats in the state legislature because they're not doing the job they were elected to do,' he said. CNN's David Wright, Kaanita Iyer, Sarah Ferris and Ethan Cohen contributed to this report.


Forbes
5 minutes ago
- Forbes
Some Democrats Want To Bring Back Gerrymandering Amid Texas Redistricting Debacle
Democrats are becoming more aggressive in countering redistricting efforts that favor Republicans—like the one slated for Texas that caused a mass exodus of Democrats over the weekend—as the party's support for nonpartisan redistricting processes has put them at a disadvantage nationally. President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott participate in a round table event at the Hill Country Youth Event Center to discuss flash flooding on July 11, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. (Photo by) Getty Images Dozens of Democratic Texas lawmakers fled the state over the weekend to prevent the legislature from establishing a quorum, a move aimed at blocking a vote on a new congressional map that would give Republicans five additional seats in the House. Texas is one of more than 20 Republican-controlled states where congressional maps are drawn by the state legislature, while large Democratic-controlled states use nonpartisan commissions to draw maps—giving Republicans an advantage and leading some Democrats to express a need for a more aggressive counterattack. 'I hope that blue states across the country see this as a signal flare and start carving up their own seats because Democrats have to stop trying to be the only adults in the room,' Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder told CNN on Monday. Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who has advocated against gerrymandering as head of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, has also called for a stronger retaliatory strategy, telling The New York Times 'this midcycle redistricting ploy in Texas . . . is something that has to be met in the moment.' Democratic lawmakers in other states have also threatened to take steps to redraw their congressional maps to favor Democrats in the wake of Texas' decision: California Gov. Gavin Newsom has floated the possibility of a special election to usurp the state's independent redistricting commission, while Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon introduced legislation to redistrict again if Texas or another state moves forward with redistricting before the next census. 95. That's the number of House seats independent commissions drew that would have otherwise been drawn by Democrats after the 2020 Census, compared to 13 that would have been drawn by Republicans, the Associated Press reported. Chief Critic 'This Democratic tit for tat redistricting seems like a port, but it's not a port. It's a jagged rock with a bunch of sirens on them,' Emily Eby French, director of the nonpartisan pro-democracy organization Common Cause Texas told the AP. Democrats have also been accused of gerrymandering in some states where their party controls the legislature and there's no independent commission responsible for congressional maps. Democrats have a 14-3 advantage in Illinois, they control all three House seats in New Mexico and three of four seats in Nevada. What To Watch For The Texas legislature is scheduled to convene at 4 p.m. ET Monday. Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to remove from office the Democrats who fled the state if they don't return by Monday afternoon, though it's unclear if he has the authority to do so. Key Background More than 50 state Democratic lawmakers left Texas on Sunday for Chicago, depriving the legislature of the 100-lawmaker minimum it needs to vote on legislation. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who helped organize the revolt, accused President Donald Trump on Sunday of 'trying to cheat the system in Texas,' adding 'these Democratic legislators refuse to let it happen without a fight.' Further Reading Democrats Have Few Tools To Counter G.O.P. Redistricting (The New York Times) Eric Holder On Why He Reversed Course On Gerrymandering (The New York Times) Democrats Desperately Look For A Redistricting Edge In California, New York And Maryland (Politico)


CNN
5 minutes ago
- CNN
‘Out of his mind': Jeffries responds to Gov. Abbott's threats
'Out of his mind': Jeffries responds to Gov. Abbott's threats Texas House Democrats left the state to try and block a partisan redrawing of the state's congressional map by Republicans, with the support of President Donald Trump. In response, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) threatened to remove lawmakers who don't show up when the state House convenes today. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) discusses the Texas redistricting controversy with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. 00:59 - Source: CNN Reporters ask Trump about firing labor stats chief over jobs numbers President Donald Trump has fired Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, whom he accused, without evidence, of manipulating the monthly jobs reports for 'political purposes.' 00:35 - Source: CNN Will President Trump release the Epstein files? CNN's Paula Reid explains the latest information on whether President Trump will release the Epstein files after the Trump administration backtracked on its promise to release additional materials in the investigation. 01:30 - Source: CNN GOP candidate deflects direct questions on past Trump comments CNN's Manu Raju presses Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for Virginia governor, on critical comments she's made in the past about President Donald Trump, who has yet to endorse her campaign. 02:55 - Source: CNN Corp. for Public Broadcasting to shutter after Trump funding cuts The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced that it will wind down its operations due to the successful Republican effort to defund local PBS and NPR stations across the country. CNN's Brian Stelter reports. 01:45 - Source: CNN Smithsonian removes reference to Trump impeachment The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History last month removed a board that referenced President Donald Trump's two impeachments from an exhibit on the American presidency. 01:15 - Source: CNN The politics behind Trump's historic tariffs President Trump has announced historic US tariffs on countries across the globe. CNN's Kevin Liptak breaks down Trump's motives for imposing the new trade deals. 01:30 - Source: CNN Three things to know about Trump's new tariffs President Trump has announced a slew of new tariffs on America's trading partners. But what does that really mean for US consumers, and America's relationships with its allies? And will these new measures be implemented at all? CNN's Anna Cooban explains. 01:34 - Source: CNN GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin Republican Rep. Bryan Steil faced tough questions and booing by attendees of a town-hall style event in Wisconsion. Audience members confronted Steil on topics including the economy, immigration policy, and the war in Gaza. 02:08 - Source: CNN Biden warns country is facing 'dark days' under Trump During the National Bar Association's annual gala in Chicago, former President Joe Biden warned that the country is facing 'dark days' under President Donald Trump's watch, saying the executive branch 'seems to be doing its best to dismantle the Constitution.' 01:12 - Source: CNN Harris gives Colbert her first interview since losing election Former Vice President Kamala Harris reflected on her decision not to pursue a gubernatorial run in California, citing systemic dysfunction, while speaking in an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." 00:44 - Source: CNN Virginia Giuffre family's message to Trump about Ghislaine Maxwell pardon CNN's Kaitlan Collins speaks with the family of late Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking accusers, about their response to President Trump potentially pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell. 00:50 - Source: CNN Kerrville mayor admits to missing emergency briefing call CNN's Shimon Prokupecz speaks with Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. about not seeing emails regarding an emergency preparation call before the deadly July 4 floods. 01:47 - Source: CNN $200 million 'Trump-style' ballroom coming to the White House Construction for a new ballroom on the White House campus will begin in September on a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, fulfilling a 15-year ambition by President Trump to construct an event space on the White House grounds that expands the building's entertaining capacity. 01:16 - Source: CNN Trump's tariff deadline looms over world economy President Trump's self-imposed midnight deadline is rapidly approaching for countries to strike a trade framework with the United States or face significantly higher tariffs. In a new development today, President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on higher tariffs on Mexico. 01:26 - Source: CNN Trump's tariffs might make coffee in the US more expensive CNN's Isa Soares examines Trump's proposed tariffs on Brazil, and how it may impact coffee prices once they go into effect. 01:34 - Source: CNN US diminished a key weapons stockpile fighting Iran The US used about a quarter of its supply of high-end missile interceptors during the Israel-Iran war, exposing a gap in supplies, and raising concerns about US global security posture. CNN's Tamara Qiblawi reports. 01:35 - Source: CNN Education Dept. resumes collecting student loans in default The Department of Education will start sending federal student loans in default to collections again, ending a pandemic-era pause that began roughly five years ago. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty explains what you need to know. 01:42 - Source: CNN Democrats cite arcane law in letter demanding Epstein files CNN congressional correspondent Lauren Fox explains how a law from the 1920s could help Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee access to the Epstein files. 01:31 - Source: CNN Tapper presses Pelosi on Trump's insider trading allegations CNN's Jake Tapper spoke to former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who reacted to President Donald Trump accusing Pelosi and her husband of insider trading, calling the allegation "ridiculous." 01:08 - Source: CNN