AUSTIN, Texas - State education leaders are meeting in Austin this week as they weigh changes to the Texas high school social studies curriculum. The debate follows similar changes for kindergarten through eighth grade adopted in June.
The State Board of Education is expected to vote on final approval later this week.
Proposed changes spark debate over religion
What we know:
The debate lasted several hours on Monday, with religion at the forefront. Specifically, how the proposed curriculum would teach it in both a religious and cultural context.
According to the proposed curriculum, high school students would be taught early Islam through the lens of "the Prophet Mohammed’s brutal military campaigns against Jewish and Christian tribes."
Students would also learn how biblical imagery and founding principles of equality and justice from the Declaration of Independence are articulated in Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech.
Board members defend focus on biblical history, civic heritage
What they're saying:
Members of the board defended the rewrite.
"We must teach our children the truth. America was not founded in a vacuum. Our nation was profoundly shaped by the bible, by Christian principles, by Western civilization, individual liberty, limited government and the rule of law," said Julie Pickren, who represents District 7 on the State Board of Education.
Pickren also said the Bible should be taught as a historical text.
"We must teach the historical influence of the Bible and Christian values on America, the founding of America and Texas," Pickren said. "When we teach about the Bible, we're not establishing a religion. We are using the Bible as an accurate historical text for cultural relevancy and to understand our civics and our state laws."
Some board members reiterated the importance of the rewrite.
"Our students need to understand the remarkable heritage that they have as Americans, and especially as Texans," said Brandon Hall, who represents District 11 on the board.
"We should not teach children to hate America or to resent America, which is what Marxism does," Pickren said.
But others urged the board to make amendments before the curriculum is approved.
"When we teach kids to view one religion as violent and another as virtuous, we don't create safe classrooms. We create the conditions for stereotyping and identity-based bullying," said Akeela Kongdara of Asian Texans for Justice.
Civil rights groups warn of bias and stereotyping
Dig deeper:
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also held a news conference opposing the proposed standards, saying the changes promote bigotry. The group also said students would not have a well-rounded knowledge of the world.
"Our community is not asking for special treatment. We are not asking to erase anyone else's faith, history, or contributions, nor are we here to spread hate or division against anyone," said Sameeha Rizvi, Texas legislative affairs and legislative manager for CAIR.
CAIR opposes an amendment that would teach Islam through the context of military campaigns and slavery.
"We oppose that amendment for the reason that if we are going to talk about one faith and undermine one faith, then we need to look at all faiths," Rizvi said. "The history of slavery is present, and it's a very ugly truth across religions and cultures."
CAIR is calling on the State Board of Education to recognize diverse communities in Texas.
"The State Board of Education has a clear duty. Take out the biased, hostile language and deliver an honest curriculum that respects the dignity and history of every single Texan."
When Texas high school social studies changes take effect
The backstory:
In June, the State Board of Education approved a new social studies curriculum for K-8 students. It is structured by a chronological framework of history, ending with a Texas history capstone in eighth grade.
It also includes a reading list that includes stories from the Bible.
What's next:
The high school curriculum vote was delayed as board members discussed instruction on communist ideology, civics and financial literacy. Board members are also discussing how much religious influence should go into the curriculum.
The proposed standards would phase into classrooms by the 2030-31 school year if approved.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the SBOE News Conference on Aug. 31, 2026. Additonal information was provided by FOX 7's Angela Shen and FOX 4's Amelia Jones.