A British education watchdog has condemned a new Bible-based curriculum approved for use in Texas state schools, labelling it a ‘religious overreach’ that threatens the separation of church and state. The curriculum, which integrates biblical teachings into subjects such as history and literature, was approved last month by the Texas State Board of Education. But the UK’s Accord Coalition, which campaigns for inclusive education, said the materials promote a narrow Christian worldview and marginalise non-religious and minority faith pupils.
The Accord Coalition’s director, Dr. Helen Forrester, said the curriculum ‘reads more like a Sunday school lesson plan than a balanced educational resource’. She added: ‘It presents the Bible as a historical fact rather than a religious text, and it fails to offer alternative perspectives. This is not education; it is indoctrination.’
The curriculum, developed by a Texas-based Christian group, includes lessons on the biblical Creation story and the role of Christianity in the American Revolution. Critics in the UK and US argue it violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits government endorsement of religion. The Texas Education Agency has defended the materials, saying they are optional and designed to ‘enhance students’ understanding of Western civilisation’.
However, the Accord Coalition’s intervention has reignited debates about the influence of religion in state schooling. In the UK, religious education is compulsory but must be ‘broad and balanced’, covering multiple faiths. Forrester warned that the Texas model could embolden groups in the UK pushing for more faith-based teaching in state schools. ‘We are seeing similar pressures here, particularly from some free schools and academies. We must resist any move that replaces critical thinking with catechesis,’ she said.
Texas is one of several US states where conservative activists have sought to inject more religion into classrooms. The curriculum has drawn legal challenges from civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union. The Texas Education Agency did not respond to requests for comment.
For many in the UK, the case is a cautionary tale. Professor Linda Woodhead, a sociologist of religion at Lancaster University, said: ‘The UK has a long tradition of faith schools, but they are funded on the understanding that they promote community cohesion, not division. If you start teaching one religion as the only truth, you undermine that compact.’
The Accord Coalition is calling on the UK government to issue a formal statement distancing itself from the Texas curriculum. A Department for Education spokesperson said they would ‘review the matter carefully’. But with local authorities already under financial strain, some worry that the controversy could fuel a wider culture war over religion in schools.
One parent, Sarah Mitchell from Manchester, whose child attends a non-faith state school, said: ‘I send my child to school to learn about the world, not to be told what to believe. If they start pushing this Bible stuff in UK schools, I’ll be marching with other parents.’
As the Texas curriculum rolls out, the Accord Coalition plans to monitor its impact and share findings with UK educators. ‘This is a moment to defend the principle that schools should be places of inquiry, not conversion,’ Forrester said. ‘If we lose that, we lose something essential about our common life.’
