Texas board approves Native Studies course despite criticism over curriculum content

The Texas State Board of Education voted 9-5 on June 27 to approve the American Indian/Native Studies course for state credit, allowing students to study Native perspectives and sovereignty, according to the Christian Post. The Texas Education Agency said the curriculum includes topics such as cultural exchanges among Native peoples and other ethnic groups, and contrasts Native egalitarian concepts with Euro-Western hierarchies.

Republican board member Julie Pickren criticized the course, saying it trains children to “resent the birth of America” and “resent Christians.” She specifically denounced the curriculum for teaching that “Christian missionaries kidnapped Indian children and sent them to re-education camps to become Americans and Christians.” She also said the curriculum was not publicly available for review before the vote.