The Texas Board of Education gave final approval to changes to the state's high school social studies curriculum, a controversial move that will impact how students are taught about Islam and Christianity.The amended social studies curriculum, which covers U.S.history, government and world geography, comes after dozens of people gave public testimony, with most expressing their opposition to the finalized version.The board approved language asserting that "radical Islam" motivated the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks rather than taking a more narrow focus on the terrorist groups involved in the attack.The material also requires students to study early Islam through Prophet Muhammad's "brutal military campaigns against Jewish and Christian tribes," the "normalization of slavery" and the taking of female captives as "harem slaves."NBA CHAMPION JOSH HART CELEBRATES TEXAS BOARD OF EDUCATION'S VOTE TO MAKE BIBLE PASSAGES REQUIRED READINGThe Texas Board of Education gave final approval to changes to the state's high school social studies curriculum.(iStock)Several Democratic State Board of Education members pushed back against the wording, but the Republican-majority board still approved that section and the other changes on Friday.Muslim groups and students, as well as multiple curriculum experts, also spoke out against the new changes."I feel attacked, as if my religion doesn’t belong," Habiiba Quresh, a 15-year-old Muslim student, told the board, according to The Texas Tribune.
"I shouldn't have to defend my religion in the middle of history class because of one sentence someone on this board wrote."At least three of the board-appointed curriculum experts also warned against the new language.TED CRUZ, CONSERVATIVES RESPOND AFTER TALARICO CRITICIZES BIBLE-RELATED EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AS 'PROPAGANDA'The board approved language asserting that "radical Islam" motivated the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks rather than taking a more narrow focus on the terrorist groups...