Texas Joins States Changing What They Teach About Israel

Texas has become the latest state to revise its social studies curriculum to include new information about Israel. Earlier this month, the Texas State Board of Education approved updated high school social studies standards that will be implemented in the 2030-2034 school years. These changes revise the wording regarding Israel's establishment in 1948 and acknowledge the influence of Torah moral and ethical teachings on the United States.

The new standards will require high school students to identify 1948 as the year of Israel's modern statehood and recognize U.S. President Truman as the first world leader to officially acknowledge Israel. This marks a departure from previous standards, which either did not mention specific dates or lacked the explicit ancestral homeland language.

The revisions come after the board approved similar changes for third-grade social studies in June, which covered ancient Israel and its connections to America and Texas. Other states such as Oklahoma, Iowa, Maryland, and Alabama have also updated their statewide standards in the past three years, though the specific topics and language vary.

The Texas changes are part of broader revisions to social studies standards, not isolated measures focused solely on Israel. The timing of these changes follows the 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict, which resulted in significant loss of life and sparked protests on U.S. campuses. Some online critics have expressed concerns that the changes could steer students toward a particular view of Israel, while others argue that Israel has long been taught in similar ways in Texas schools.