Texas Board of Education votes to approve requiring public schools to study Bible stories

After months of built up discussion and debate, the Texas State Board of Education has approved a new proposal that will establish lists of required reading, including Bible verses alongside classic books, for its K-12 English and literature curriculum.

The new proposal, which will slowly be enacted starting in the 2030-31 school year, will impact more than 5 million students across the state.

While it is not uncommon for states to suggest book titles for public schools, Texas could be the first to prescribe a literary collection for every student.

This decision comes after last year the state became the largest in the U.S. to require classrooms to display The Ten Commandments, a law that was recently upheld in federal court.

ABC 7's Max Zepeda spoke with Board Member Gustavo Reveles, who represents El Paso and much of Southwest Texas, and he was blunt on what he believes the true meaning behind the proposal is.

"I have heard here this week, members of our own board, call people of the Islamic faith, to their face, terrorists," Reveles said. "They are threatened by people that don't look like them and don't practice the same faith as them. And that to me shows weakness."