Officials in Texas have backed a controversial new public school curriculum that would incorporate Christian lessons from the Bible as early as kindergarten. Mark Chancey, a religious studies professor at Southern Methodist University,

The Texas state education board has backed curriculum materials for elementary-school students that parents, a teachers union and liberal advocacy groups have criticized for improperly bringing Christianity into the classroom.

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.

School districts serving more than two million elementary-school children would be able to adopt a curriculum that draws on the Bible.

The Texas State Board of Education signaled it will approve a controversial set of resources that's received blowback for inclusion of Bible stories.

The Texas Board of Education tentatively approved new curriculum for elementary schools to integrate Bible in daily lessons.

The controversy now coming to light is not so much that religion is discussed in public schools, but that the proposed material heavily focuses on Christianity.

The Board heard from more than 150 people about the new proposed curriculum during more than 8 hours of testimony.

The Texas State Board of Education has given initial approval to a Bible-infused curriculum that would be optional for public schools to adopt for lessons from kindergarten through fifth grade