WASHINGTON — Conservative lawmakers across the U.S. are advocating for the increased integration of Christianity into public school classrooms, raising questions about the separation of church and state. Proposed measures include incorporating Bible references into reading lessons and requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
This surge in initiatives coincides with the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump, who has expressed strong support for the First Amendment rights to pray and read the Bible in schools—practices that are permissible as long as they remain non-government-sponsored.
While the federal government does not dictate state education curricula, Trump’s presidency may embolden state-level advocates for religious teachings in public education.
In addition to promoting school choice through taxpayer-funded vouchers for religious schools, there is a parallel movement to infuse more Christianity into the public school system, which serves a diverse student population. Support from judicial appointments during Trump’s tenure has allowed courts to become more receptive to incorporating religion within the public sphere, including educational institutions.
“The implications of Trump’s presidency on this issue have emboldened Christian nationalists,” said a prominent advocate for the separation of church and state.
A significant portion of the American population believes the framers of the Constitution intended for the U.S. to be a Christian nation. A smaller segment, aligned with Christian nationalism, argues that the United States has a divine mandate to establish an explicitly Christian society.
In contrast, many historians assert that the nation was founded as an alternative to European systems that enforced state-backed religions and persecuted minority faiths.
The movement to introduce Christianity into educational settings has gained traction in various states. For instance, Louisiana recently enacted a law mandating the posting of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. Legal challenges to this requirement have emerged.
In Texas, officials approved a curriculum that blends language arts with biblical teachings, while in Oklahoma, the state superintendent has advocated for incorporating Bible lessons from grades 5 through 12, a directive that many schools have resisted.
Utah lawmakers have recognized the Ten Commandments as a historical document, placing it alongside foundational texts like the Declaration of Independence, allowing for its display in classrooms. Numerous other states are pursuing similar legislative measures, with attorneys general from multiple GOP-led states recently supporting Louisiana’s mandate.
While schools are encouraged to teach about religion and include religious texts in their curricula, critics argue that recent efforts amount to indoctrination rather than education.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the proliferation of lesson plans that incorporate controversial content. Some educators have been allowed to use materials from conservative organizations, which critics claim blur the lines between historical education and promoting Christian nationalism.
During his administration, Trump initiated the 1776 Project, which aimed to present a more patriotic version of American history, but faced criticism for glossing over Christianity’s complex role in historical injustices, such as slavery.
This curriculum has been further developed by a conservative institution and is now being implemented in publicly funded charter schools. Its influence on state education standards has been noted, particularly in South Dakota.
Ongoing legal challenges to such state measures continue, with the courts increasingly favoring religious interests as a result of recent judicial appointments.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2022 in favor of a football coach fired for praying with players, asserting that the school district violated his rights to religious expression. This decision has the potential to open the door for increased religious influence in public schools.
Some legal experts suggest that Trump’s appointments may have significant implications for church-state separation initiatives across the nation.
Recent rulings prompt courts to interpret church-state separation in light of historical context, leading to the argument that religious expressions should be expected in public spaces that reflect America’s historical involvement with religion.
However, critics claim that these initiatives risk oversaturating educational content with biblical references while downplaying Christianity’s more problematic historical associations.
These criticisms are particularly directed at the new Texas reading curriculum, which has been developed by the state. While adoption is not mandatory, districts can receive financial incentives for implementing it.
An analysis of the curriculum suggests an unnecessary and unwarranted emphasis on Bible lessons, according to a scholar in religious studies, who highlighted the distortion of religious freedom’s role in American democracy.
A conservative think tank that endorsed the new curriculum asserts that recent judicial decisions affirm the right to religious expression in public schools and facilitate increased taxpayer funding for religious institutions.
“Public sentiment among voters and legislators increasingly shows frustration with perceived attacks on religious heritage,” a representative from the think tank stated.
