Opposing sides in the debate over new social studies standards for Texas schools will square off today before the State Board of Education as it prepares to decide what Texas students should be taught in U.S. history classes.

More than 130 people have signed up to testify on the proposed curriculum standards, and the hearing is expected to be just as volatile as last year’s public hearings on new science standards.

Unlike science, where most of the debate was over evolution, the list of topics to be discussed for social studies is lengthy, ranging from which historical figures should be highlighted to what role Christianity and the Bible played in the founding of the nation. Board members will take their first votes on the standards Thursday.

Minority rights groups are pushing for more coverage of Hispanics in history classes, saying members of that group are generally ignored in the standards. Social conservatives want religion given more emphasis, and civil rights groups and their allies are warning the board to avoid any action that jeopardizes the religious freedom of students.

On Tuesday, the Texas Freedom Network sounded the theme of separation of church and state, saying that some social conservatives want to push their personal and religious views into the curriculum for public schools.

“We all agree that students should learn about the influence of faith in our nation’s history,” said Kathy Miller, president of the group. “But students should not learn in their public school classrooms that the United States favors one faith over all others and that the Founders really didn’t intend to protect religious freedoms at all.”