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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Heather Hollingsworth

Anger over reading list for Texas public schools that includes bible stories like Jonah and the Whale

People hold signs reading "Teach the Truth" and "Don't erase our history" during a rally on the Capitol Mall outside the Barbara Jordan State Office Building, where the State Board of Education meets, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Austin, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) - (Austin American-Statesman)

A proposed reading list for Texas public schools, featuring biblical narratives like Jonah and the Whale, sparked a heated debate at a state education board meeting on Tuesday, drawing an overflow crowd.

Religious leaders, teachers, parents, and students spent hours arguing over the list, intended for the state's 5.4 million kindergartners to 12th-graders.

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