Texas State Board of Education Set to Finalize Divisive Social Studies Curriculum Overhaul

The Texas State Board of Education is expected to give final approval this week to a controversial rewrite of high school social studies lessons. The proposed changes include how topics such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech connect to 'biblical imagery and founding principles of equality and justice from the Declaration of Independence,' and how early Islam is taught. The framework also eliminates the current sixth-grade world cultures course, a move some educators believe will diminish students' knowledge of non-Western traditions. The adopted changes are slated to be phased into Texas schools during the 2030-31 school year.