Texas Education Leaders Unveil Bible-Infused Elementary School Curriculum

For The Texas Tribune, Pooja Salhotra and Robert Downen describe the state’s new proposed elementary school curriculum that infuses reading and language arts lessons with teachings on the Bible. While the new materials still have to be approved by the Texas State Board of Education, this instructional redesign comes amid an ongoing embrace on the right of Christian nationalism. PRRI finds that more than half of Republicans adhere to or sympathize with pillars of Christian nationalism, including the belief that the U.S. should be a strictly Christian nation. In Texas, 34% of residents qualify as Christian nationalism adherents or supporters.

Abortion Laws Are on the Books but Still on Voters’ Minds in These States

Sam Woodward, Savannah Kuchar, and Margie Cullen at USA Today examinevoters’ concerns about reproductive rights in New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Michigan, among other states, as the presidential election comes closer. Almost two years after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are leaning on abortion to galvanize voters. In the 2022 midterms, abortion proved to be a winning issue, as Democrat candidates secured seats and state referendums restricting abortion failed. PRRI finds that 39% of Republican women believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases in 2023, an increase from 2010 (33%).

Trump’s Ugliest Legacy: Are We on Course for More Violence and Terror?

In a new column at Zeteo, John Harwood considers a new label for former President Donald Trump – that of “triggerman” – in response to Trump’s history of intimidation tactics and latest warning of a “breaking point” among supporters if he is sentenced to jail time next month. After the Jan. 6 insurrection, law enforcement officials intensified efforts to monitor threats from extremist groups, but concerns remain about “lone wolf” attackers, such as the Trump supporter who used a hammer to fracture Paul Pelosi’s skull in 2022. PRRI findsthat one-third of Republicans (compared to 13% of Democrats) agree that “true patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save the country.”

Misinformation About Gender-Affirming Care Is in the Political Playbook for Elections in 2024

On Connecticut Public Radio’s The Wheelhouse, PRRI Public Fellow Joanna Wuest, Ph.D. unpacks misinformation from critics surrounding the scientific certainty of gender-affirming care. According to Wuest, while cisgender individuals often seek similar care in the form of breast augmentation or testosterone treatments, gender-transition related care for transgender individuals endure intensified scrutiny from conservative organizations and lawmakers. PRRI finds that a slim majority (54%) of Americans agree that people advocating for the rights of transgender people have gone too far in recent years, compared with 43% who disagree.