FFRF Action Fund is naming Texas state Rep. James Talarico its “Secularist of the Week” for the third time, for his leadership in denouncing the state’s new bible-infused curriculum.
Talarico, who has represented Texas’ 52nd District since 2018 and received our inaugural “Secularist of the Year” in 2023 for his courageous work in the Lone Star State, appeared on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live” earlier this week to discuss Texas’ “Bluebonnet Learning” curriculum, narrowly approved by the Texas Educational Agency last week. The curriculum unnecessarily introduces bible stories into lesson plans for elementary school children, is biased toward Christianity and undermines the separation of state and church. Talarico, studying to be a Presbyterian pastor, is firmly against the new curriculum.
During his CNN appearance, Talarico said, “Christian nationalists are so focused on pushing Christianity in schools that they’ve forgotten the Christianity we learned in church. Jesus specifically defines neighbor as someone different from us, religiously, racially, culturally.” Talarico noted that the new curriculum prioritizes Christianity over other religions: “I consider the Hindu student, the Jewish student, the Muslim student, the Buddhist student, the atheist student who sits in a classroom in a Texas public school to be my neighbor, and as a Christian, I am called to love them as myself. And forcing my religion down their throats is not love.” Talarico continued, “I think if Jesus read this new curriculum, he would weep for those students, and then I think he would overturn our desks in the Texas Legislature.”
Talarico addressed the fundamental problems with the curriculum, saying, “I know personally that there is a difference between preaching and teaching. Under federal law, schools can teach the bible as an academic text, but not in a devotional way. In other words, public schools are not Sunday schools. Or, as Greg Abbott is fond of saying, schools are for education, not indoctrination.”
Talarico posted a clip of his CNN appearance on X, writing: “The Texas State Board of Education adopted a new Bible-infused curriculum for elementary school students. These new lessons elevate Christianity over the other major world religions. This curriculum is unconstitutional, un-American, and deeply un-Christian.”
The curriculum passed with an 8-7 vote. Talarico, a former Texas public school teacher and Texas State Board of Education member, naturally voted no. During his CNN interview, Talarico said that the curriculum had bipartisan opposition: “I think conservatives should be really concerned about the state usurping the role of the church. The separation of church and state is not only for the benefit of our democracy, it’s also for the benefit of the church, and I, for one, don’t feel comfortable with government employees teaching our faith. We have places where we can do that, and they’re called churches.”
Talarico observed, “The Texas Republicans who crafted this curriculum also think it’s unconstitutional. Because in the bill that created this curriculum, they explicitly grant immunity for Texas educators who violate the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, otherwise known as the separation of church and state.”
The earliest the curriculum could go into effect is next August. Although the curriculum is seemingly optional, school districts have been offered strong financial incentives to adopt it. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has already committed to contacting every Texas public school district to urge rejection of the bible-infused curriculum.
We warmly thank our “Secularist of the Week” for continuing to stand up for state/church separation and secular public school education in Texas.
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.