Ted Cruz Sums Up James Talarico’s Attack on the Bible Perfectly [WATCH]

Texas Democrat James Talarico is facing a wave of criticism after a resurfaced video showed the United States Senate candidate condemning Bible related education in public schools as propaganda and indoctrination.

The remarks quickly caught the attention of conservatives, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

Talarico, a Texas state representative and Christian seminarian, made the comments during a 2025 video hosted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

He was asked about his legislative fights with people described by the host as Christian Nationalists.

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The Democrat pointed to what he called the “most insidious” legislation he had opposed while serving in state government.

He claimed a proposed Texas curriculum would present Christian Bible stories as historical fact to children who were too young to form their own beliefs.

“It was a new state curriculum that would teach Christian Bible stories as historical fact, as the only truth to our youngest students, and I mean kindergarten, first graders,” Talarico said.

“These are kids who aren’t able to think for themselves yet. They haven’t formed their own worldviews.”

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He went further, warning that the alleged effort to “push propaganda, to push indoctrination on those youngest students is deeply immoral and should trouble all of us.”

That accusation did not sit well with Texans who viewed the curriculum as an effort to improve cultural knowledge and reading comprehension.

Cruz shared the resurfaced clip and responded with a short but unmistakably bewildered question, “Um, wut?”

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Other conservative commentators soon joined the criticism, arguing that Talarico had badly distorted what the Texas curriculum actually contained.

Mary Elizabeth Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, called Talarico’s description misleading.

She said the Bluebonnet curriculum was an English Language Arts program adopted in 2024 to help students understand the many biblical references found throughout American history and literature.

“The references to the Bible in the Bluebonnet curriculum help students understand the thousands of everyday idioms that people use every day that have some context to Scripture,” Castle said.

In other words, recognizing biblical references is basic cultural literacy, not some sinister plot dreamed up in a church basement.

Castle also said the curriculum was supported by religious liberty attorneys and prominent officials, including Dr. Ben Carson.

She noted that its biblical material was intended to strengthen reading scores and comprehension, while a majority of Texas parents and stakeholders who testified supported its adoption.

“The majority of Texas parents and stakeholders testified in favor of the curriculum, which passed at the State Board of Education,” Castle said.

She added that several school districts have already purchased it, suggesting Talarico’s view is hardly the dominant position among Texas families.

First Liberty executive general counsel Hiram Sasser said courts have repeatedly recognized the Bible’s influence on Western culture, literature, and history.

“No education is complete without understanding the Bible and its influence, as even the ACLU recognizes,” he told Fox News Digital.

Sasser argued that Talarico had managed to position himself to the left of the ACLU, which agreed in a legal settlement that the Bible may be taught in Texas schools.

That is quite an achievement, though probably not the kind a statewide candidate should advertise in deeply religious Texas.

Tim Graham, executive editor of the Media Research Center’s NewsBusters, highlighted what he viewed as the left’s convenient double standard.

“Democrats have a funny way of defining ‘indoctrination,’” Graham said, arguing that liberal ideology is routinely presented as inclusion while biblical teaching is treated as dangerous.

Talarico’s campaign defended him as a Christian seminarian committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ and opposed to politicians using Scripture for political advantage.

The campaign also accused Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and other politicians of attacking Talarico’s faith.

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During an appearance with podcaster Joe Rogan, Talarico explained that his concern centered on children from minority faiths or those without religious beliefs.

“As a Christian, I think my concern is for the Muslim kid and the Jewish kid, the Hindu kid, the atheist kid who’s sitting in a classroom who now has a poster on the wall forced by the government that says, you know, your religion is inferior, or you’re not welcome here,” he said.

Talarico has also faced conservative criticism for supporting parents who raise children as transgender, although he has opposed gender reassignment surgeries for minors.

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His latest controversy leaves Texas voters with a clear question about whether teaching the Bible’s historical influence constitutes education or, as Talarico insists, propaganda.

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