### Texas Education Board Endorses Bible-Based Curriculum for Elementary Schools

In a controversial decision, Texas education officials have approved an elementary school curriculum that incorporates lessons from the Bible into reading and language arts for kindergarten through fifth grade. This optional curriculum could be adopted by school districts serving more than two million elementary school children, with financial incentives provided for those that choose to implement it.

The move has sparked significant debate and protest in Texas, a state at the forefront of efforts to amplify the presence of religion in public education. The proposed curriculum may set a precedent and model for other states considering similar measures.

Supporters of the curriculum argue it reinforces Christian values and ties the nation’s history and politics to these principles. This initiative aligns with anticipated support from President-elect Donald J. Trump’s administration, which has vowed to advocate for the conservative Christian movement.

Texas has a history of pushing religious boundaries in public schools. It was the first state to permit the hiring of religious chaplains as school counselors, and the Republican-controlled legislature is expected to renew efforts to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms.

The debate over Christian values in public education is not confined to Texas. In Oklahoma, the state superintendent has initiated the distribution of Bibles for classroom use and encouraged students to pray for Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Louisiana faces legal battles over a new mandate requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in all classrooms.

The endorsement of this Bible-based curriculum marks a significant chapter in the ongoing clash over the role of religion in public life, with Texas once again positioned as a key battleground.