AUSTIN – In a 10 to five vote, the Texas State Board of Education has set new guidelines for the instruction of Bible classes in Texas public schools. But Friday's decision has failed to settle any debate.

Curriculum requirements for Texas Bible teachers say they should familiarize students with the contents, history, literary style, and influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament on today's society. They cannot promote or endorse any religion over another. Other than that, Bible classes fall under the same curriculum requirements, or "TEKS" as social studies and English classes.

"The framework for the TEKS needs to be history and literary TEKS, and that's what we have. They're very specific so when they say there aren't TEKS given there are and have the requirements the A.G. has reviewed them, which the legislature required us to do," said Cynthia Dunbar, a member of the State Board of Education.

The five board members voting against the new requirements wanted the state to set specific "TEKS" guidelines for Bible classes.

"It's a difficult process, we do have some TEKS, but I'm not sure how specific that they really are, I think this is going to be a gray area and I think you're going to continue to have some litigation," said Bob Craig, also a member of the state board of education.

Members of the Texas Freedom Network attended Friday's meeting. They say they feel state school board members have taken the easy way out.

"They punted that responsibility down to school districts instead of taking their statutory responsibility to give guidance to school districts on how to develop good courses," said Ryan Valentine of the Texas Freedom Network.

Earlier this year, the Ector County school board agreed to quit using a Bible course curriculum at two high schools in Odessa that the American Civil Liberties Union said promoted Protestant religious beliefs not shared by Jews, Catholics, Orthodox Christians and many Protestants.

The new guidelines will go into effect September 1.

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Dallas Morning News Reporter Terrence Stutz contributed to this report