State board of education considers new state K-5 curriculum criticized for including religious content

Critics say the content favors Christian teachings and isn't accurate

The Texas State Board of Education is considering TEA’s new statewide curriculum offering Bluebonnet Learning.

The curriculum designed by TEA would provide a more common curriculum around the state for schools that choose to use it. 

At Anson Jones Elementary in Dallas students are learning math skills through Amplify, a curriculum Dallas and Fort Worth ISD are using in the classroom to improve learning.  

While the students and teachers we talked to were generally pleased, they’re still evaluating how well it's working.

Now the state is offering its own curriculum, which is up for a vote by the state board of education. 

It would teach math and reading lessons to meet state standards but critics call the new state curriculum overly religious and focused on Christianity.

"These important sacred stories have weight and if improperly transmitted lead to misunderstanding or worse. We don’t want triumphalism to take root at such a young and impressionable age," said Neil Blumofe, Rabbi, Congregation Agudas Achim, at a press conference Monday.

TEA designed the curriculum after the Texas legislature voted to overhaul the state’s curriculum. This would be Texas’ first state-designed textbook.  

In a statement to NBC 5, TEA said “Religious source material comprises just a small part of the product and includes information from multiple faith traditions.”

TEA has even put it online for parents to review. Despite the concerns about the religious passages, many people feel this curriculum increases rigor and is a smarter move to have this common curriculum.

“I'm asking you to please vote for the K-5 reading, language arts, Bluebonnet curriculum without any amendments. We need the patriotism and accurate portrayal and inspiration of historic figures taught to our students as role models," said Susan Pettis, who spoke at the board hearing.

Texas schools would not be required to use the new texts but would get financial incentives from the state if they did. 

The promise of extra cash to use the new lessons comes at a time when districts are cash-strapped, voters have rejected tax hikes, and school leaders are left to consider any and everything to get more money to keep schools operating in the black.  

TEA has already made several revisions to the curriculum based on some of the feedback received from religious leaders and experts on some of the material taught, and board members have encouraged those conversations to continue.