Texas doesn’t just teach its own kids, it often sets the direction for what the rest of the country reads. When publishers chase the biggest markets, Texas State Board of Education votes can ripple into national textbooks, classroom materials, and the story students absorb about American history, Western civilization, and civic life.
We sit down with Brandon Hall, a Texas SBOE member and pastor, right after major initial approvals on two fronts: updated social studies standards and a required literary works list. He explains what actually changed, why the board fought to restore factual history that’s been trimmed by revisionism, and how the standards aim to teach history in a clear chronological arc instead of a fragmented set of themes. We also talk about the reading list and why studying the Bible as literature matters for cultural literacy, worldview debates, and understanding the language of law, freedom, and the American founding.
You’ll also hear what comes next, why June is a critical final step, and how public testimony and grassroots engagement helped turn a defensive fight into real amendments and real wins. If you care about curriculum, textbook publishing, education policy, or simply want students to know the full story of the nation, this conversation lays out the stakes and the path forward.
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