The Texas State Board of Training on Friday gave ultimate approval to a controversial new elementary curriculum that options quite a few biblical references, from tales about King Solomon to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
The board voted 8-7 in favor of the state-developed “Bluebonnet Studying” English and language arts supplies, which critics say privilege Christianity over different religions. A slender majority of the board — consisting of 11 Republicans and 4 Democrats — had signaled earlier within the week it will help the brand new curriculum.
Colleges aren’t required to make use of Bluebonnet Studying, however the state will provide monetary incentives to districts that do.
The curriculum has been the topic of scrutiny and criticism because the state unveiled it in Might.
Amongst different biblical references, the Okay-5 curriculum teaches kindergarteners concerning the Golden Rule utilizing textual content from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testomony, “together with references to Islam and Hinduism,” the trainer’s information states; introduces fifth graders to Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Final Supper,” “based mostly on the Christian Bible story concerning the final meal of Jesus of Nazareth”; and incorporates a story on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, “derived from the E-book of Luke, a ebook of the New Testomony of the Christian Bible.”
Mark Chancey, a spiritual research professor at Southern Methodist College in Dallas, testified earlier within the week that he isn’t against instructing faith in colleges, however the Texas curriculum over-emphasizes Christianity over different religions.
“Not solely is it taught in such a means that is going to advertise some religions over others, however in lots of instances it even simply will get the essential info incorrect,” he mentioned.
However proponents mentioned the supplies are well-rounded and educate college students about basic literature.
