Officials in Texas have backed a controversial new public school curriculum that would incorporate Christian lessons from the Bible as early as kindergarten. Eight out of 15 state school board members voted Tuesday to keep the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum on a list of K-5 reading and English language arts materials that could be used for the 2025-26 school year.

Texas education officials voted narrowly to offer preliminary approval on Tuesday for a new curriculum that includes Bible lessons for children starting in kindergarten, part of a growing effort in the state and elsewhere to bring Christian principles to public schools.

Teachers, parents and advocates packed the State Board of Education meeting this week ahead of Tuesday’s tight preliminary vote on the state-crafted