Inside Texas' push for religion in public schools
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Texas is among a growing number of states trying to infuse public education with religion.
Why it matters: Republican leaders in red states across the country are pushing to expand education voucher programs, require Bibles and the Ten Commandments in classrooms, and allow students to skip school for religious instruction.
Zoom in: As the Texas Legislature hits its final stretch, lawmakers are considering proposals like Senate Bill 10, which would require the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms, and SB 11, which would allow school boards to require periods for prayer and reading "the Bible or other religious text."
- SB 10 "seeks to remind students all across Texas of the importance of the Ten Commandments as a fundamental foundation of American and Texas law," according to a statement by its author, Republican state Sen. Phil King of Weatherford.
The other side: Bill opponents are keen to maintain the separation of church and state.
- "Why is the Constitution not taking that prime spot, since it's the most foundational document?" state Rep. James Talarico, an Austin Democrat, asked at a recent late night hearing, of state Rep. Candy Noble, a Republican from suburban Dallas, carrying SB 10 in the House.
- After a moment of silence, Noble said: "I'm so tired. ... I'm just, brain fog."
Both bills passed the state Senate — but neither have received a vote on the House floor.
State of play: Gov. Greg Abbott this month signed legislation creating a $1 billion program that gives families state money for private school tuition, a plan that some supporters say could be a boon to religious schools.
- Critics say voucher programs hurt public schools — and low-income families in particular — by shifting taxpayer money to many families who already can afford to send their kids to private school.
- Plus, the State Board of Education voted last year to allow Bible-based teachings in elementary schools under an optional new curriculum.
Flashback: The battle is being joined in public universities as well.
- In 2020, the University of Texas' law school started a clinic "focused on the free exercise of religion," bankrolled by a board member of the Religious Freedom Institute.
Zoom out: Evangelicals have been seeking to blur the line between public and religious schools for two decades, but those efforts have accelerated recently.
- The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing an Oklahoma case on whether to allow public funding of religious charter schools.
- Like the Oklahoma case, some of the challenges are arising with the conservative-led Supreme Court and a supportive President Trump in mind.
Between the lines: The debates over religion are unfolding as surveys indicate increasing numbers of Americans are identifying as non-religious — and their schools are more racially and religiously diverse than ever.