Mixed reactions come in after approval of school curriculum with Biblical references

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas school districts now have another option for curriculum, dubbed Bluebonnet Learning.

Its approval was quickly followed by both praise and backlash.

"It does seem to potentially put us in conflict with our code of ethics," said Zeph Capo, the president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers. "First and foremost our teachers are going to push back, and they always have no matter where the curriculum comes from when they're given information from the school district or the state that provides inaccurate information."

RELATED: Texas State Board of Education approves school curriculum with Biblical references

He, and other major organizations, like the ACLU, argue that the bible-infused lesson plans violate the separation of church and state.

"We are opposed to the fact that there's a bit-we're a bit too preachy in this curriculum for our taste," said Capo. "This is public school, not Sunday school."

Others, like Jennifer Winter, don't see it that way.

"I think that it's a positive for our schools and for our students and for our nation," said Winter.

Winter is a mom to a preschooler and has also taught in private and public schools.

"Jesus was a teacher. I mean he was probably recognized as one of the best teachers ever in our history, and so why would we exclude him?" said Winter.

Advocates for the curriculum point to biblical themes in other classroom literature.

"So much of the literature is based upon biblical references, and it's so wonderful to just shine a light on that instead of keeping children in the dark," said Winter. "It's really difficult to interpret the real nature of the literature without having that biblical foundation."

Governor Greg Abbott also voiced his support on "X" Friday. He said that Bluebonnet Learning "will bring students back to the basics of education."

It's voluntary and free for schools. However, schools could get more funding if they adopt it.

FOX 7 Austin reached out to 15 different Central Texas school districts on Friday to see if they had plans to implement it. We heard back from two.

Austin ISD sent the following statement:

"Austin ISD has already purchased the HMH curriculum for multiple years, securing its use through the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic years. This ensures stability and consistency in instructional materials across the district. Therefore, the district will not be engaging in a language arts materials review any time in the near future.

Engaging community members and teachers in the curriculum review process is part of the official adoption process to ensure any adopted curriculum aligns with the needs and values of our students, educators, and community.

The curriculum adoption process includes a formal presentation to the Austin ISD Board of Trustees for approval, demonstrating transparency and alignment with district goals and priorities.

Austin ISD will fully adhere to all state and local policy requirements during the curriculum review and adoption process, ensuring that our instructional materials meet the highest standards for academic excellence."

Lake Travis ISD said it hasn't had a chance to consider it, given that it is so new, and asked FOX 7 to follow up with them after Thanksgiving.

The American Federation of Teachers said that if a school district adopts this new material, and a parent doesn't want their child learning it, they're unaware of a provision that would allow an opt-out, and it would be impossible to implement.

On the flip side of that, the state plans to make this curriculum available to parents whose schools don't teach it.

Jennifer Winter wanted to add the following statement:

"I agree with bible-based curriculum because it's the foundation of classical education. Even if folks don't believe that Jesus is their Lord and Savior, everyone believes that he was an amazing teacher and why would we exclude teachings from the best teacher in the world from education?  If we did that, we would jeopardize the quality of education for our children. It will also be good to counter the religious indoctrination of humanism which is occurring right now in our public schools all the way from preschools to universities. It's one of the reasons that many young adults are struggling right now."