AUSTIN – The Texas State Board of Education has taken a major step toward rewriting what students across the state will learn in social studies.
On Friday, the board approved an early draft of new social studies standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, after hours of heated debate that stretched late into the night.
The proposed changes are now at the center of a growing divide over how history — and religion — should be taught in Texas classrooms.
Concerns over religion in the classroom
Some board members and critics argue the draft places too much emphasis on Christianity.
Staci Childs, a Houston Democrat representing District 4 on the board, says many parents and educators are worried.
“For one, people don’t want to be indoctrinated, or they don’t want their kids to be indoctrinated. We see a lot of Biblical references, a lot of scripture, a lot of passages,” Childs said.
Childs, who voted against the draft, says religion should not overshadow other perspectives in history.
“Religion is definitely something that has shaped our history, but what these standards are doing is that they’re trying to teach only one version of it,” said Ismelda Meija, with the Texas Freedom Network.
She also expressed concern that the proposed standards could limit how students learn about the experiences of people of color.
“I think students deserve to learn the fullness of American history,” Childs said.
Supporters defend proposed changes
Supporters of the new standards argue the changes are necessary to improve how history is currently taught.
Some say the current curriculum focuses too heavily on memorization — names, dates and events — rather than deeper understanding.
They also argue that including Biblical references reflects the historical and cultural foundations of the United States.
Board member Will Hickman defended the inclusion of those materials, emphasizing they are not meant to promote religion.
“These are the Bible being used as literature. This is not the Bible being used to spread Christianity or to teach Christianity,” Hickman said.
Dispute over accuracy and data
The debate also included claims about how well Texas students are currently performing in social studies.
Mandi Drogin, with Austin-based conservative think tank Texas Public Policy, suggested students are not learning effectively under the current system.
“They’re failing, students are failing. We can look at the social studies 8th grade exam in Texas, and we have only about 30% of kids that are passing, they’re failing,” said Drogin.
But data from the Texas Education Agency found that in the 2024–2025 school year, about 77% of students passed social studies.
What happens next
The version approved this week is only a draft.
The State Board of Education is expected to revisit and potentially finalize the standards this summer.
If approved, the new curriculum would not take effect until the 2030–2031 school year.