Islam, Faith, and Inclusion in Twenty-First Century America
By Baheejah Fareed
Mar/apr 25
On Nov. 22, 2024, in an 8-7 vote, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) approved the “Bluebonnet Learning” curriculum. Texas schools who choose to adopt the curriculum will receive up to $40 in additional funding per student. The curriculum will be available for use in classrooms for the 2025-26 school year. What are the implications of Bible-based instruction in Texas schools? What potential impact does this decision have on Muslim students in particular?
The Rise of Bible Education in Public Schools
In 2007, the Texas legislature passed House Bill 1287 allowing the inclusion of elective Bible courses in public schools. While these courses are intended to provide students with an academic study of the Bible’s literary, historical, and cultural significance, a similar opportunity to learn from other religious texts is not offered. But the Bluebonnet curriculum remakes HB 1287 into something taught to all students in the districts that adopt it.
Pearland, Tex., based Educational Consultant Shanedria Wagner, a Christian, is nevertheless concerned at the proposition of public schools teaching the Bible. In an interview on Fox 26 News in Houston in November 2024, she said, “We live in a democracy not a theocracy. If the district adopts it, you have to teach it. Why force it on students and treat other religions as an afterthought?” In the same interview, Victor M. Rios, a teacher, argued, “It comes with a $40 incentive per student. Sometimes you have to follow the money.” He further indicated, “[The Bible is] interwoven into our government already, and into Texas culture.”
Creators of the Bluebonnet curriculum defended its biblical content, arguing that the Bible is a foundational document of our civilization so students must understand it to be well-educated citizens. In her criticism, of Bluebonnet, Caryn Tamber-Rosenau, a Biblical scholar, writes, “The idea that there is a real thing called ‘Judeo-Christian’ obscures the major differences between these two religions, and between Jewish and Christian interpretations of the Hebrew Bible.”
Legal Framework and Social Challenges
The First Amendment mandates that public schools maintain a separation of church and state. This means the Bible cannot be presented in a way that promotes or endorses religious beliefs, however it can be taught from a secular, academic perspective such as in literature, history, or cultural studies. But legal debates have long argued that Bible courses often sway too closely to religious indoctrination instead of remaining strictly academic. As such, the question remains, what parameters will be set to keep teachers from teaching the Bible as the one true religious text for everyone to follow? In an AP News article published on Nov. 22, 2024, Mathew Patrick Shaw, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Education at Vanderbilt University, supported this constitutional challenge to the Bluebonnet curriculum, stating, “whether the lesson plans will be considered constitutional is up in the air.”
Muslim Students Struggle to Maintain Faith and Identity
Before Bluebonnet, opting out of Bible classes was possible for Muslim students. However, this option was not well-publicized and Muslim students often felt social pressure to conform to the majority culture, leading to stigma and feelings of isolation. On Nov. 21, 2024, Houston-based news anchor Isiah Carey asked, “But when the school district decides, what do the students do when they have different beliefs, and they don’t want to participate in that? Particularly in my family [there have been] lots of Jehovah’s Witnesses and religion was not to be taught in schools” He further questions, “How will they be graded?”
As evidenced, the inclusion of Bible instruction in the public curriculum raises both practical and philosophical concerns for Muslim families. The reality of attending a public school where Christianity is the default cultural reference, or is mandated by legal decree, can be alienating for students of various faiths, especially Muslims. The loss of Muslim identity and faith would likely be the result of such influences.
The following list indicates some of the ways in which Muslim students suffer from the Christian doctrine within our country’s public schools.
1. Exclusion
In a third-grade lesson about the first Thanksgiving, teachers discuss how the governor of Plymouth said a prayer and gave a speech that included references to “several passages from the Christian Bible in the book of Psalms.” Teachers are then instructed to tell students the book of Psalms is a collection of songs, poems and hymns “that are used in both Jewish and Christian worship.”
The constant exposure to Christian stories, doctrines, and values may make Muslim students feel like outsiders in their own classrooms even when presented from a historical or literary perspective. It might be an unintentional signal that their own religious beliefs are secondary or irrelevant for Muslim students.
2. Lack of Representation
Islamic perspectives, which emphasize the Quran as the primary religious text, are often overlooked or misunderstood. This lack of representation can leave Muslim students feeling that their faith and its sacred texts are undervalued or misrepresented, reinforcing the notion that only Christianity holds cultural or educational weight in American society.
Moreover, Muslim students may struggle with teachers or peers who hold misconceptions about Islam. This lack of proper representation can contribute to a broader environment of misunderstanding or even discrimination, further complicating their educational experience.
3. The Tension Between Faith and Education
Muslim students may also face a deeper, more personal conflict between their faith and the nature of Bible instruction. While they are encouraged to respect other religions, including Christianity, many Muslims believe that religious education should not include teachings that contradict Islamic beliefs. For example, Muslim students may feel uncomfortable when Bible courses delve into teachings about the divinity of Jesus, which directly contradicts core Islamic teachings about the oneness of God. This tension can create a cognitive dissonance for Muslim students who are expected to engage with a curriculum that promotes views contrary to their own.
“This curriculum is not age-appropriate or subject matter appropriate in the way that it presents these Bible stories,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Children who read the material, Tyler said, “are simply too young to tell the difference between what is a faith claim and what is a matter of fact.”
The Way Forward
As Texas continues to expand the inclusion of Bible courses in its public schools, it’s important for those in charge to consider the needs of all students, especially those from minority religious communities. Another option is for parents to consider removing their children from public schools and choosing Islamic schools or homeschooling to ensure that their child’s educational environment remains inclusive and respectful of Islamic beliefs and practices. Parents may wonder: will their children’s education quality suffer from not being in public school? However, there are many examples of scholars who were not educated through the public school system and were accepted in Ivy League universities or went on to build impressive careers with financial stability and social standing. It may take a little effort to seek out qualified teachers or private schools to help in the journey, however if it saves your child’s faith and dignity, it is well worth the endeavor.
Alternatively, parents can contact their school district collectively expressing concerns and requesting that the schools should take the following steps:
- Clearer Guidelines for Bible Instruction: Bible courses should only be taught strictly from an academic perspective, focusing on the historical, cultural, and literary aspects of the text. Teachers should be trained to avoid promoting any religious viewpoint and should include discussions on how different religions, including Islam, view religious texts.
- Curriculum Diversity: To ensure that Muslim students (and students of other faiths) feel included and respected, schools should aim for a more balanced curriculum that incorporates world religions and their foundational texts, including the Quran. This would allow for a broader understanding of global religious traditions and foster a more inclusive environment.
- Cultural Sensitivity Training: Teachers should be educated about the diverse religious backgrounds of their students, and schools should provide training on how to handle sensitive topics related to religion in the classroom. This would help create an environment of mutual respect and understanding, where students of all faiths feel valued.
- Opt-out Policies and Support: Schools should make it clear that students are not required to participate in Bible classes and should offer alternative options for students who choose to opt out. This will help avoid feelings of exclusion and ensure that students’ religious rights are respected.
Shaimaa Zayan (CAIR-Texas) adds that the Texas SBOE’s approval of a Bible-infused curriculum for public schools should ensure inclusivity and provide equal space for other religions. She adds that the curriculum should remain neutral and provide equal space for historical materials rooted in other religions and ideologies.
The key word is “should”. Will the district schools and teachers be concerned with respecting religious beliefs and practices or are we just expressing concerns that fall on deaf ears?
Baheejah Fareed is a writer, educator, consultant, and wellness coach located in Texas.