Think back to your time at school. What sort of stuff did you read?
Well, if you're younger than one Supreme Court ruling in 1963, one thing you might not have read was the Bible. While you may have read it at church, a lawsuit took to the highest court in the land ended the requirement of it being taught.
But now, it's coming back - at least in Texas. That's because, as reported by Good Morning America, the Texas State Board of Education has now voted to make Bible passages required reading.
The Republican-controlled board passed the vote with a clear majority of 9 for, and 5 against, alongside 1 abstention. It's not the whole Bible, though - it's a number of key passages which differ depending on grades.
5th graders should expect to read sections of the Book of Exodus. 7th graders will be given The Shepherd's Psalm, amongst other passages.
The board went through the required reading list on Friday, June 26. Other authors that show up on the reading list include E.B. White, Shel Silverstein, Aesop, Kurt Vonnegut, Elie Wiesel, amongst others.
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A Republican member of the Texas education board, Julie Pickren, explained to The Texas Tribune what the required readings entailed. She said, before the list being completed, that the readings give "important insights into the moral and philosophical traditions that have shaped Western civilisation."
She continued, "When students engage directly with original writings, speeches, sermons, and foundational texts... They can evaluate ideas and develop a deeper understanding of the principles that have shaped the USA and Texas."
However, other lawmakers were opposed to the bill. Rather than opposing the Bible directly, another Texas board member, Evelyn Brooks, argued that the issue was in teachers' autonomy. "They've been selecting books for decades, for years," she said during a hearing about the list.
"[Required reading lists] are not a new concept to teachers. We are simply giving them a mandated list, which I believe is unconstitutional, but regardless of what I believe, let's not take their autonomy away."
