Proposed reading list for Texas students draws concern over religious themes, lack of diversity

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 1:45 PM EST, January 29, 2026


The Texas State Board of Education delayed voting on a proposed list of required books for K-12 students Wednesday night after hours discussing the reading materials’ religious focus and hearing public concerns about a lack of racial, ethnic and gender diversity. Voting 13-1, the board delayed consideration until its April meetings to allow members time to consider the list and solicit feedback. Brandon Hall, a North Texas Republican board member, opposed the decision.

A 2023 state law required the Texas Education Agency to create a list of reading materials for the board to consider, with schools required to teach the materials beginning in the 2030-31 school year. The agency recommended nearly 300 books for consideration, though the law only required at least one literary work in each grade.

The list includes childhood favorites and classical literature across a range of genres — from Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat to S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders — while also incorporating religious materials with a Christian focus, like The Parable of the Prodigal Son and The Road to Damascus.

The presence of religious literature was the source of frustration Wednesday among several Democratic board members and Texans who testified. They argued that an emphasis on Christianity and not other religiously diverse readings conflicts with the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause, which prevents states from endorsing or promoting a particular religion.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/schools-texas-general-news-7b085497d8b3dbcd10a603fac0a271f7

[msongs]

1. save a sh_itload of $ use only bibles. baptists will donate all they need at no cost to taxpayers....yeah right nt

[GreatGazoo]

2. Here is that list

starts on page 3 with Kindergarten list, middle school at page 16. High school at page 21. It's a PDF:

https://tea.texas.gov/academics/instructional-materials/house-bill-1605/draft-rule-text-for-agency-recommendations-to-the-sboe-for-literary-works-list.pdf

[Buddyzbuddy]

3. Growing up in the 60's and 70's I used to hear

how Texas had a great education system with a tough curriculum with good results.

I guess that's now a bygone era. Your Texas Gov't is doing the children of Texas a disservice. But, you are welcome to it. Just don't start whining when your children aren't accepted at the best Universities and Colleges. Don't blame those institutions for not fixing your mistakes. Much like you're doing now.

I'm not wishing this for you or your children, I'm prognosticating based on history. But you would have to be able to read history to understand. The churches only want you to learn enough to read the Bible and allow them to tell you what it means. Don't stress yourselves with reason and understanding. Ignore your impulse to have a free thought or even worse an itch for creativity or free expression.

At least you'll have the satisfaction of teaching those liberals a thing or two. Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to bring math into the equation.

[Roy Rolling]

4. Schoolbooks in all 50 states

Texas schoolbook orders are of particular importance because all other states would follow the lead of Texas education professionals. Other states would take the Texas list and mimic it for their own state.

But after Citizens United, $$$$$ determines the book list; and where there’s money there’s parasites looking to feed on taxpayer dollars.

You think education is expensive? Look how much Republicans spend to make people stupid.

[sakabatou]

5. I'm not from TX, but I've heard some bad things over the years when it came to the reading lists