Hi John,

Students in Texas public schools have the same constitutional right to religious freedom as anyone else. Despite this, politicians and extremists continually attempt to undermine the separation of church and state in public school classrooms. 

We partnered with Dr. David R. Brockman, a religious studies scholar and Christian theologian, to review the state's new proposed K-5 reading curriculum for public schools. The curriculum — which schools would be financially incentivized to use —  overemphasizes Christianity, too often portrays Christianity in a one-sided way that whitewashes difficult historical truths, and incorporates detailed Bible lessons in unnecessary and unwarranted ways.

Read the executive summary.

Key Findings in the Report

• The curriculum overemphasizes Christianity, offering very limited coverage or none at all of other major religions and faith traditions.
• One-sided portrayals of Christianity and its impact whitewash difficult historical truths. 
• Lessons subtly portray Christian faith claims as straightforwardly true, opening the curriculum to the charge that it is meant to proselytize students. 
• The authors appear to go out of their way to work detailed Bible lessons into the curriculum even when they are both unnecessary and unwarranted. 
• Though religious freedom is vital to American democracy, the curriculum distorts its role in the nation's founding while underplaying the importance of other fundamental liberties Americans cherish. 

Public schools are NOT Sunday schools! With your help, we'll tell the State Board of Education (SBOE) to REJECT this curriculum during September’s public hearing. Stay tuned for more from us on the upcoming meeting and actions you can take.

In the fight,

The TFN Team

TFN is a statewide non-partisan, grassroots organization that is building an informed and effective movement working toward equality and social justice.

Texas Freedom Network
P.O. Box 1624
Austin, TX 78767
United States 
Phone: (512) 322-0545

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