Texas public school students are days away from a curriculum that would require them to study the Bible starting at age 6, strip out lessons on race and cultural diversity, erase Muslim contributions to mathematics and science, and describe the imprisonment of Japanese American families during World War II as a military "contribution." The Texas State Board of Education is expected to hold a final vote on these changes this Friday.

Two proposals are on the table. The first would mandate that every public school in Texas teach Bible stories to students from kindergarten through graduation, making Christian religious instruction a feature of the public school reading list. The second would rewrite the state's social studies curriculum in ways that historians say are riddled with factual errors and that educators warn prioritize memorization over critical thinking. In April, the board already voted to remove a standard requiring students to learn about Muslim contributions to algebra and astronomy. The revised standards no longer require students to understand the impact of race and ethnicity on society. The sixth-grade world cultures course would be eliminated. Martin Luther King Jr. does not appear as a specified leader in the Civil Rights Movement, though other figures do.

The panel of advisers who designed the social studies overhaul included almost no one with Texas K-12 classroom experience. Several have documented ties to conservative activist organizations. This is not a panel of educators improving curriculum. It is a political project, and conservative leaders have said so themselves, calling it "the final battle" in their effort to reshape what Texas children learn about their country and the world.

The constitutional problems are real. Requiring Bible instruction in public schools raises serious First Amendment concerns. Courts have long held that public schools may teach about religion but cannot promote or require religious practice. A statewide mandate to teach Christian scripture as part of the reading curriculum crosses that line.

The historical problems are equally serious. Describing Japanese American internment as a contribution to the war effort is not a different perspective. It is a factual error that distorts one of the most significant civil liberties violations in American history. Omitting the Muslim world's contributions to the foundations of modern mathematics and science does not reflect academic debate. It reflects bias.

Texas students deserve a public education grounded in the Constitution, guided by qualified educators, and accurate enough to prepare them for college and life beyond it. We are calling on the State Board of Education to vote no on the mandatory Bible reading list and no on the flawed social studies rewrite. We are calling on Governor Abbott and the legislature to protect public schools from curriculum that serves a political agenda at the expense of Texas children.

The vote is Friday. Sign this petition now to demand Texas keep religion out of public school requirements and keep history in the classroom.