On Nov. 22, the Texas State Board of Education voted 8-7 to approve the Bluebonnet Curriculum, which will provide elementary school teachers lesson plans that parents and guardians can access through an online portal. However, the lessons incorporate Christian-Centric content, which has upset parents and teachers, who believe it crosses the line between separation of church and state.
“The passage of Bluebonnet Learning is a critical step forward to bring students back to the basics of education and provide the best education in the nation,” Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement. “These transformative educational materials are voluntary and free for schools and teachers to use. And with parents also able to access these materials online, we will ensure young Texans have access to high-quality, grade-level appropriate curricula that will provide the necessary fundamentals in math, reading, science, and other core subjects and boost student outcomes across Texas.”
The Texas State Board of Education holds 11 Republicans and four Democrats. All four Democrats opposed the curriculum and three Republicans opposed as well. The Bluebonnet Curriculum is under House Bill (HB) 1605, passed in the Texas Legislature of May 2023. According to Progress Learning, the bill aims to provide teachers with resources and instructional materials that are aligned to state standards. Under the House of Representatives, the compilation of public comments opposes the bill.
Under the 5th grade ELA and reading lesson plan Unit Nine, titled “Kings and Queens,” the activity book states, “your student will learn about King Solomon, whose story is found in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Old Testament of the Bible.”
For Kindergarten, Unit Seven: “Serving our Neighbors,” the text talks about the Golden Rule, and how to treat others the way you want to be treated, but incorporates Christianity. “Several books of the Christian Bible describe a man who lived a long, long time ago—nearly 2,000 years ago—in a part of the world that is very far from here. The man was named Jesus.”
In the teacher’s guide for 5th graders to learn about art and culture, the Curriculum uses Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” to teach students that Leonardo used perspective to draw attention to Jesus as the most important figure in the painting.
While many oppose the lessons’ disproportionate focusing on Christianity over other religions, defenders claim that these references will provide students with a better understanding of the country’s history.
The curriculum is optional for all school boards, but districts that adopt it will receive additional funding of $40 per student. The curriculum will be available in spring, and participating districts will most likely adopt them for the 2025-2026 school year.