Texas students have urged the State Board of Education to focus on inclusion over politics in its social studies overhaul. The majority-Republican education board began last year to redesign Texas’ social studies standards, which outline what students need to learn by the time they graduate. The changes have been approved by a majority of the board, with plans to center Texas and U.S. history in social studies while focusing on world cultures, world history and geography. Students testified against the overhaul, expressing disappointment that it focuses too heavily on Western civilization at the expense of other cultures and prioritizes Christianity over other major religions. They also called for social studies instruction to include more women, Hispanic and Black perspectives and for students to learn about African kingdoms.