8.28.25 – “TX Schools Using New, Printed, Character-Building Curriculum”

8.28.25

“TX Schools Using New, Printed, Character-Building Curriculum”

From Donna Garner

EXCERPTS FROM THIS ARTICLE

8.28.25 – “1 in 4 Texas School Districts Signs up for New Bible-Infused Curriculum” – by Jaden Edison – Texas Tribune -- https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/texas-schools-bluebonnet-bible-curriculum/?_bhlid=898699e571a91c032a5b47b11de11fdd1275dc60

…More than 300 Texas school districts and charter schools (out of 1,207 districts and charters) have signaled plans to use a state-developed reading and language arts curriculum [Bluebonnet Learning] that attracted national attention last year for its heavy references to the Bible and Christianity…

The Tribune obtained data through an open records request on the schools planning to use the TEA’s new Bluebonnet curriculum, which includes the religion-infused reading lessons as well as phonics and math materials.

…about 595 districts and charters signed up as of late June to use at least some parts of the curriculum, and about 317 said they would use the reading lessons.

…The Tribune reached out to over a dozen district officials and school board members to ask them about their decision on whether to adopt the curriculum.

Of the districts that do plan to use the reading materials, many said the religious components did not factor into their choice.

Their reasons included accessing the additional funding districts qualify for when they opt in; aligning their instruction with what the state expects children to learn; and avoiding punitive measures from the state if students do not perform up to par on Texas’ standardized exams [STAAR tests] …

…in a statement, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) expressed a commitment to supporting any district using instructional materials “aligned to state standards and built based on the best cognitive science” and noted that Bluebonnet successfully went through the State Board of Education’s exhaustive vetting process.

“Evidence clearly indicates that high-quality instructional materials lead to increased learning for students and, ultimately, success in the classroom and beyond,” said TEA spokesperson Jake Kobersky…

Supporters of Bluebonnet say the biblical references will provide students with an enhanced understanding of U.S. and world history.

They say the materials cover a broad range of faiths and only make references to religion when appropriate.

…TEA officials say the curriculum offers students an in-depth, age-appropriate understanding of the abolition of slavery, events like Juneteenth and the Civil Rights Movement, and the contributions of Black Texans.

…The state believes its scripted teaching format will help ensure educators can spend more time focusing on instruction and less time on planning.

It offers an incentive of $60 per student to districts that choose to use it, which can help cover printing costs.

Texas has recently endeavored to expose public school students to more religion, specifically Christianity.

In the last legislative session, Republican lawmakers passed bills allowing districts to establish a policy providing students and staff a daily period of prayer or time to read a religious text, requiring that every public school classroom display a poster of the Ten Commandments, and providing $243 million to the state education agency to support schools adopting Bluebonnet…

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Excerpts from this article:

11.22.24 -- "Victory -- TX SBOE Votes 8 to 7 for Adoption of Healthy, Classical Curriculum" -- By Donna Garner -- https://donnagarner.org/11-22-24-victory-tx-sboe-votes-8-to-7-for-adoption-of-healthy-classical-curriculum-by-donna-garner/

The elected members of the Texas State Board of Education voted to adopt the Open Resource Materials (OER) for K-5 Reading Language Arts called “Bluebonnet Learning.”

The Bluebonnet Learning materials are designed for print.

Schools that order the materials will receive pallets of printed books, teacher guides, workbooks, readers, and activity guides.

The Bluebonnet Learning materials can only be changed by a majority vote of the SBOE. Texas owns the OER [Open Education Resources], and it is in no way connected to UNESCO as a few naysayers are claiming.

Texas is offering the curriculum to any education entity across the entire United States.

Mary Elizabeth Castle of Texas Values stated, “The Bible has had a colossal impact on the Western world in art, history and literature that cannot be ignored."

Many influential organizations have joined Texas Values in support of the Bluebonnet materials since September: First Liberty Institute, Texas Eagle Forum, Concerned Women for America of Texas, Moms for Liberty, and Citizens Defending Freedom, American Principles Project.

Untold numbers of private citizens, caring and concerned parents, volunteers, committed experts, and Texas State Board of Education members went laboriously through the curriculum materials to make sure they will help all students learn to read and to understand literary references and historical events.

At the same time students will be immersed in valuable, character-building content.

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MORE INFORMATION

11.22.24 -- “Texas Leads Counterrevolution in Education" -- By Dr. Carole Hornsby Haynes, Ph.D. -- https://donnagarner.org/11-22-24-texas-leads-counterrevolution-in-education-by-dr-carole-hornsby-haynes-ph-d/

11.21.24 – Opinion: A Win for Texas Students, Teachers If SBOE Passes Curricula” – by Eva Guzman, former Texas Supreme Court Justice – Austin American-Statesman -- https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2024/11/21/new-texas-state-board-of-education-materials-will-help-students-opinion/76451741007/

11.21.24 – “Make Texas Public Education Great” -- By Cindi Castilla, Texas Eagle Forum -- https://mailchi.mp/5b7ecef03994/make-texas-public-education-great?e=87963ff101

11.6.24 – “Texas State Board of Education Nov. 18 Vote” -- By Susan Perez – Citizens for Education Reform -- https://conta.cc/3YYLCNn

9.1.24 – “Important! Support New Curriculum -- Returning Texas to Traditional Schooling!” -- By Carole Hornsby Haynes -- https://conta.cc/3Z4DJ9l

6.6.24 -- "Position Paper – Teaching Biblical Literature As a Part of English/Language Arts/Reading” -- From a collaboration of English/Language Arts/Reading classroom teachers ー published on July 2, 2001 -- https://donnagarner.org/6-6-24-position-paper-teaching-biblical-literature-as-a-part-of-english-language-arts-reading/