AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Board of Education heard from the public Tuesday about proposed elementary school instructional materials written by the Texas Education Agency. A recent law expanded the process for the State Board of Education to approve high-quality instructional materials from a variety of sources. The materials from the state include multiple religious elements focusing largely on Christianity. 

The months-long criticism over the state’s proposed instructional materials that include multiple biblical references brought a parent to tears. 

“Religion and faith should be addressed within the family,” said Susan Nayak, an Austin ISD parent. 

State Board of Education members are closer to a final vote of what curriculum to approve for elementary school students. There are 16 sets of materials for the board to review, but the Open Education Resource textbooks created by the Texas Education Agency have raised some red flags. 

“I think this is the official book for Christians. It’s the bible, but it doesn’t match what’s in this teaching material. They can’t even line up the material,” said Terry Kosava with Grandparents for Public Schools.

The state’s proposal has a large focus on Christianity, multiple Jewish leaders told the board; their faith is excluded and, when included, unfairly portrayed, they said. 

“There’s an exercise included in the Crusades curriculum to ask students to talk about the pros of the Crusades. Which, like for our community, is like we were being murdered in mass. There’s really not a lot of benefit to that,” said Emile Bourgeois with Shalom Austin.

The question looming over the lessons is the perceived violation of the Establishment Clause that calls for separation of church and state. The Texas Attorney General’s Office told the board that U.S. Supreme Court precedent allows for the bible and religion to be taught in a non-proselytizing way.

“You cannot fully understand your own history and the history of your culture if you don’t understand religion’s role in how it developed,” said Austin Kinghorn with the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

The national organization First Liberty took the point further, citing a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision after a Washington high school football coach was fired for praying after games. 

“Kennedy vs. Bremerton says you can’t use the Establishment Clause to ban religion from public life and that includes in the educational context,” said Keisha Russell, an attorney for the First Liberty Institute.

There is also concern about a financial incentive for the districts to include the religious lesson plans in their schools. 

The state’s curriculum will cost districts $240 per student to print. Districts are already allotted $40 for printing but will get an additional $20 from the state if they pick the state’s lessons plans. 

“It is the height of human arrogance to suggest that it is the state’s responsibility to put God in our schools,” said Dr. Mary Spradlin with Pastors for Texas Children.

After nearly eight hours of testimony, it was clear much of the public is still frustrated with what the state presented. The board will approve its final list in November.