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Texas State Board of Education Approves New High School Social Studies Curriculum Featuring Islam and Christianity

The Texas State Board of Education gave final approval to a new social studies curriculum for public high school students, covering U.S. history, government, world geography, and financial literacy. The revised standards, which will be phased into classrooms starting in the 2030-31 school year, emphasize the historical influence of Christianity while describing early Islam through the lens of Prophet Muhammad's "brutal" military campaigns, the normalization of slavery, and the taking of female captives. The board approved language stating that "radical Islam" motivated the September 11 attacks, rather than focusing solely on specific terrorist organizations. This decision faced significant opposition from Muslim groups, students, and curriculum experts who argued the wording creates a bigoted caricature of Islam. While some Democratic board members and public speakers pushed for more balanced descriptions, the Republican-majority board maintained the current wording. Board member Brandon Hall defended the use of the word "brutal," stating it was a moral imperative to avoid whitewashing history. Board member Julie Pickren described the final approval as a significant accomplishment after over a10 years of work.

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