The state of Texas has passed a law making Bible stories compulsory reading in primary schools, a move that has sent shockwaves through the international education community. UK education officials have voiced deep concern, warning that the policy could blur the lines between religious instruction and secular learning.
Under the new Texas law, all public elementary schools must include biblical tales in their curriculum. Proponents argue the stories are foundational to Western literature and moral education. But critics, including UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson, see it as a dangerous step towards state-sponsored proselytising. “This is not about literacy or cultural heritage,” said a spokesperson for the Department for Education. “It is about imposing a specific religious worldview on young children. We are monitoring the situation closely and will assess any impact on UK schools that might adopt similar practices.”
For working families in the industrial North, the news from Texas feels distant but unsettling. “I send my kids to school to learn maths and science, not to be told which fairy tales to believe,” said Karen, a mother of two from Sheffield. “Next they’ll be banning books about evolution.”
The debate touches on a raw nerve in Britain where state-funded religious schools already exist but must teach a broad and balanced curriculum. The Texas mandate goes further, making Bible stories a required part of reading classes. UK unions, including the National Education Union, have condemned the move. “This is a violation of the separation of church and state that we hold dear,” said NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede. “We call on the UK government to issue a formal statement against this regressive policy.”
But some religious groups have welcomed Texas’s decision. The Church of England said it “understands the desire to impart moral teachings” but stopped short of endorsing compulsion. A spokesperson added: “We believe in the importance of religious literacy, but it must be taught in a way that respects all faiths and none.”
The timing is sensitive. With the UK grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, many parents are more worried about food on the table than foreign education policies. “I can’t afford school uniforms, let alone worry about what they’re reading in Texas,” said a single mother from Barnsley. Yet the issue taps into broader anxieties about the influence of religious fundamentalism on public life.
UK education experts warn that the Texas law could inspire similar campaigns here. “We’ve seen a rise in religious lobbying in our own schools,” said Dr. Emma Thompson, an education policy analyst at the University of Manchester. “This gives cover to those who want to push a narrow, faith-based agenda.”
For now, the UK government has stopped short of official sanctions but is “in dialogue” with US state authorities. The Texas law is set to take effect next year. In the meantime, British schools will watch closely, aware that the Bible stories being mandated across the Atlantic could find their way onto reading lists closer to home.
