More than 40 Texas State Representatives have sent a letter to the Texas State Board of Education urging members to adopt revisions they say reflect the truth about American and Texas history.
Earlier this year, State Board of Education members met to hear public comment on proposed new social studies curriculum standards and instructional materials for grades K-12.
The proposed standards include lessons on Christian leaders, the importance of Christianity during the Roman Empire, and its influence on Western civilization, the United States, and Texas.
The curriculum would also add nearly 200 literary texts, including specific biblical passages such as the story of Daniel.
Other proposed revisions would emphasize patriotism, seek to avoid “woke” topics, and promote the teaching of American exceptionalism.
The proposed curriculum has sparked intense debate, with some opponents arguing it suppresses religious freedom, while others have called for the inclusion of Islamic teachings.
However, Republican members of the Texas Legislature are urging the board to adopt the revisions, saying they “reflect a clear and principled commitment to teaching Texas students the truth about what makes America, and Texas, extraordinary.”
“The proposed TEKS rightly emphasize that the United States of America was founded on self- evident truths: that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights, and that free markets and limited government have produced the most prosperous and innovative society in human history,” the letter reads. “These are not partisan talking points — they are the documented facts of the American experience, and every Texas student deserves to learn them. We are pleased to see changes that do not shy away from the moral and philosophical foundations of American democracy, foundations without which the freedoms we enjoy today cannot be fully understood or defended by the next generation.”
Ahead of the board’s upcoming vote, Republican state Rep. Brent Money, who also signed the letter, posted on X urging Texans to attend the meeting and make their voices heard.
“I’m urging every Liberty-loving Texan to show up and testify or contact your SBOE member and urge them to vote against any Democrat amendment,” he wrote.
