Texas Board of Education approves required reading list with Bible passages for 5 million students

The Republican-controlled Texas State Board of Education approved a required reading list Friday that includes passages from the Bible, marking the latest effort by conservative officials to expand Christian teachings in public schools.

The Texas State Board of Education voted 9-5, with one abstention, to approve the required reading list for the state's more than 5 million public school students.

The required reading list includes works such as Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" along with passages from the New Testament.