Controversy Over Bluebonnet Curriculum in Montezuma-Cortez Schools & a Texas Teacher Explains Concerns Over the Curriculum

Update: Montezuma-Cortez school board rejects controversial curriculum in 4-3 vote

Chalkbeat Colorado recently reported that the Montezuma-Cortez School Board has chosen to implement the Texas-based Bluebonnet curriculum. According to Chalkbeat, “The curriculum adoption in Montezuma-Cortez is the latest chapter in an ongoing debate about what kind of religious content belongs in American public schools. It also raises questions about why a low-performing district is using a controversial reading curriculum that wasn’t vetted by state evaluators and didn’t undergo a public review process or a school board vote.”

Montezuma-Cortez’s school district is currently implementing a school improvement model developed by Mike Miles—a controversial former Harrison School District 2 Superintendent and the current Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, which has also adopted the Bluebonnet curriculum. Miles’ school improvement model, known as the “New Education System,” prioritizes explicit, teacher-led instruction, student engagement, and comprehensive training for teachers and principals.

Chalkbeat Article: This Colorado school district is using Biblically infused reading curriculum made for Texas students

The Bluebonnet curriculum is a highly controversial topic in Texas Public Education. Recently, Texas had to spend $8 million in taxpayer dollars to fix the curriculum; there were 1,900 errors, and 1,062 of those were licensing image issues. The74, an education news source, has also reported that Mike Huckabee’s ‘Faith-Based’ Media Company Contributed to the Bluebonnet curriculum, and according to The74, “Opponents see Bluebonnet as part of a GOP-led movement to steer public schools to the right — one that is expected to accelerate under the incoming Trump administration. More than 15,000 opponents of the Bible-themed lessons have signed a petition, organized by Faithful America, an online network of Christians, with about 200,000 members nationwide.“

Several Texas Teachers have expressed concerns about the Bluebonnet curriculum, including its pedagogy and instructional design; take a listen…

In addition to teacher criticisms, a Christian parent has also criticized the Bluebonnet curriculum, stating that it is an overreach and a violation of church-state separation. The parent also explains that she is picky about who teaches her children about the Bible.

It would be wise for Montezuma-Cortez public education parents to oppose the Bluebonnet curriculum and ask their school board why the curriculum did not undergo a public review process or a school board vote.

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