9.4.26
“Elected TX State Bd. of Ed. Brings Back Love for America”
From Donna Garner
Hallelujah! A majority of the elected members of the Texas State Board of Education voted today to pass new curriculum standards (TEKS) in U. S. History, U. S. Government, World History, and World Geography.
It has taken years for the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) with the assistance of the Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath and his hard-working Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff to get to this moment in time.
Among other achievements, they have finally accomplished their goal of passing new curriculum standards (TEKS) in Social Studies K-12.
It is the curriculum standards that guide and direct “what” teachers teach to their students.
However, classroom teachers will still get to decide “how” to teach it.
The statewide tests (STAAR) tests hold students and their teachers accountable to teach the TEKS.
The SBOE has spent years of long hours trying to drive out Obama’s Common Core Standards (Type #2) which for 13 years have nationally permeated the curriculum standards, curriculum, and all products of the College Board (including the SAT) in K through 16.
Fact: Whatever gets tested, gets taught by classroom teachers. [https://donnagarner.org/2-15-25-to-rid-schools-of-woke-must-look-at-national-tests-by-donna-garner/]
THE DAMAGE DONE BY OBAMA
Obama’s Common Core Standards are Type #2 and have taught students to rely upon their personal opinions, emotions, and feelings rather than on verifiable facts.
For 13 years, Type #2 has indoctrinated our nation’s students with LGBTQ, DEI, and CRT dogma.
This helpful chart makes it very clear:
4.27.22 – “Only Two Types of Education" – Type #1 v. Type #2 – Cannot Mix – Just Like Oil and Water” – by Donna Garner – https://donnagarner.org/only-two-types-of-education-type-1-v-type-2-cannot-mix-just-like-oil-and-water-com/
Thankfully, the majority of people in Texas have elected SBOE members who support Type #1; and now the Texas public schools will be required to implement classical, fact-based curriculum in all K-12 Social Studies courses.
In short, Texas public school students will be taught how truly exceptional America is because of the basic beliefs of the heroes and heroines who have made our nation the most outstanding country in the world.
The new Social Studies curriculum will begin the phase-in process in the 2030-31 school year.
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8.31.26 – Texas Scorecard
“TX State Board of Education Members Rally To Oppose Marxist and Islamic Influence”
By Addie Hovland
Excerpts from this article:
The Texas State Board of Education is taking up the final reading of the new high school history standards this week.
State Board of Education Members Julie Pickren and Brandon Hall are urging the complete rejection of attempts to rewrite history, specifically the exclusion of how the Bible influenced both the values and founding of America and Texas.
The Monday press conference comes as members of the state board prepare to amend and give final approval of the new high school Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills social studies standards, which were postponed following the passage of the elementary and middle school TEKS during the June SBOE meeting.
The high school TEKS are divided into five separate subchapters — U.S. History, Government, Geography, World History, and Personal Financial Literacy.
Pickren told attendees that the Declaration of Independence recognizes that our rights come “from our Creator” and that to erase this from history is not neutrality, but historical revisionism.
Pickren stated:
“Our schools must never become laboratories for political indoctrination that teach students what Marxism and Communism have produced:
the destruction of private property;
the destruction of economic freedom;
the destruction of individual liberty; and
the death of millions of people under totalitarian regimes.”
Pickren also argued that Texas must teach “the truth about radical Islamic terrorism and its attacks on America.”
Hall told attendees that to preserve the American republic and way of life, Texas students need to “understand the remarkable heritage that they have as Americans, and especially as Texans.”
Hall also highlighted the need for social studies standards that emphasize the exceptionalism of America:
“We have Marxist historical revisionists that want to teach the history of America in a negative light;
they want to overemphasize other cultures around the world over America; and
they want to keep our students their global citizens, not citizens of the United States or Texans.”
IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING BIBLE REFERENCES
Several members of the public spoke out in support of the references to Scripture found throughout the standards:
“The Bible is a foundational literary and cultural text needed to understand America’s founding documents.”
Jonathan Covey, director of policy for Texas Values, encouraged the board:
“To keep the proposed standards focused on the essential knowledge needed for students to understand American history and its system of government;
To teach the structure of the constitutional system, including federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, individual rights, and the responsibilities of citizenship;
To help students to understand the major ideas and systems that shaped historical events, including the history of communist regimes and ideologies and their consequences for individual liberty; and
To adopt clear and content-rich standards that prioritize historically significant materials and give Texas students a strong foundation for informed citizenship, just as you’ve been working towards.”
…The SBOE is slated to take a final vote on the standards on Friday [9.4.26].
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8.31.26 – Texas Tribune
“TX State Education Board Advances Anti-Islamic Rewrite of Social Studies Lessons”
By Jaden Edison
Excerpts from this article:
TX State Board of Education members on Tuesday [9.1.26] preliminarily approved a rewrite of what Texas high schoolers learn in social studies…
The Republican majority … advanced a recommendation, for example, that would require public school students to learn that “radical Islam” motivated the 9/11 attacks…
The board also greenlit a proposal that students learn about early Islam through the lens of “the Prophet Mohammed’s brutal military campaigns against Jewish and Christian tribes, the normalization of slavery, and the taking of female captives as harem slaves.”
…Preliminary revisions to high school history, government, and geography studies come after the board’s Republican majority approved changes to Texas’ K–8 social studies materials in June 2026 alongside a mandatory reading list that includes Bible stories.
…Preliminary votes occurred after hours of discussion Monday and Tuesday, with final decisions expected Friday [9.4.26].
STRESSING AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM
Those leaders [Republican SBOE members] and activists now champion the current proposals, which they view as the final battle in a push to rid Texas schools of instruction they say paints America in a negative light and trains students to hate the country.
Hundreds of people have testified at meetings that often extended overnight, well into the early morning.
…Regarding Christianity, another proposal would ensure students learn how “biblical imagery and founding principles of equality and justice from the Declaration of Independence” connect to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech…
LEARNING THE ESSENTIALS
Republican Chair Aaron Kinsey said it was also important for members to cut down the number of learning expectations in each course after warnings from Texas Education Agency officials that the board had proposed too much content.
“The intention is not to shortchange anything,” Kinsey told members Tuesday. “But we have to determine what is ESSENTIAL.”
Texas schools will begin phasing in the adopted social studies changes during the 2030-31 school year.
NEW REPUBLICAN APPOINTEE JOINS THE OTHER 10
On Monday, Republicans on the State Board of Education welcomed another member to their majority, temporarily increasing their presence to 11-4.
Houston Democrat Staci Childs vacated her seat as she campaigns for the Texas House.
Gov. Greg Abbott has since replaced her with Pasadena Republican Tammie Nielsen, who will serve on the board through the end of the year.
Nielsen remained silent for most of her first two days on the board, often voting alongside the most conservative of her Republican colleagues…
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9.1.26 – Dallas Morning News
“Religion Takes Center Stage in TX’s Overhaul of High School Social Studies Standards”
By Jessica Ma
Excerpts from this article:
…Texas high schoolers could be required to learn a version of history that links Islam to violence and portrays Christianity as central to America’s founding.
For example (some testifiers said), students would study Prophet Muhammad’s “brutal military campaigns against Jewish and Christian tribes, the normalization of slavery, and the taking of female captives as harem slaves,” per the drafted curriculum.
They would be required to explain the biblical imagery in Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.
…Almost every drafted standard that mentions Islam connected it to slavery, conquest, or conflict, according to a review by The News.
…For example, one drafted standard identifies the Bible as an “intellectual influence” on the American Revolution.
The proposals expand upon a Bible-infused reading list that the board approved earlier this summer.
“Our history books must underscore the profound influence the Church had on the formation of our government,” said David Waller, a pastor at Fairpark Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
…In June, the State Board of Education approved learning standards for kindergarten through eighth grade.
High school courses were put on hold until this week…
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MORE INFORMATION
6.26.26 – “Texas Becomes First State To Require Students To Read the Bible with Required Literary List” – by Isaac Yu – Austin American Statesman -- https://www.statesman.com/politics/texas/article/social-studies-overhaul-bible-christianity-22320559.php
6.25.26 – “Texas Board Gives Preliminary Approval to Social Studies Standards Tying Islam More Closely to Violence” -- By Silas Allen – Dallas Morning News –https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/article/texas-board-islam-standards-22319935.php
6.24.26 – “State Board of Education Gives Preliminary Approval to New Reading List” -- By Addie Hovland – Texas Scorecard -- https://texasscorecard.com/state/state-board-of-education-gives-preliminary-approval-to-new-reading-list/
6.24.26 – “Texas State Board of Education Gives Initial Approval to New Elementary Social Studies Standards” – by Silas Allen – Dallas Morning News –https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/article/texas-board-social-studies-standards-22317959.php
4.24.26 -- “10 Important Years with TX. Ed. Comm. Mike Morath” -- From Donna Garner -- https://donnagarner.org/4-24-26-10-important-years-with-tx-ed-comm-mike-morath-from-donna-garner/
4.2.26 -- “SBOE Members Are Vital to the Future of Texas’ Students” -- By Donna Garner -- https://donnagarner.org/4-2-26-sboe-members-are-vital-to-the-future-of-texas-students-by-donna-garner/
1.13.26 – “Bringing Traditional, Classical Literature Back to Texas Schools” -- By Donna Garner -- https://donnagarner.org/1-13-26-bringing-traditional-classical-literature-back-to-texas-schools-by-donna-garner/
8.28.25 -- “TX Schools Using New, Printed, Character-Building Curriculum” -- From Donna Garner -- https://donnagarner.org/8-28-25-tx-schools-using-new-printed-character-building-curriculum-from-donna-garner/
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/