The Teach the Truth campaign is a coalition response to the growing efforts to censor classroom lessons and ban books from schools in Texas.
The members of the Teach the Truth coalition believe that students across the state of Texas deserve an accurate, honest, and quality education that allows them to see themselves represented, to access truthful information, and to learn from our past in order to build a better future for themselves and our country. Together, we will ensure that the voices of our communities and not politicians drive education policy.
Texas students deserve a truthful education and access to books that reflect the diversity of our state and country.
If you agree, here’s how you can help.
Report Book Banning and Educational Censorship!
Is your local school board politicizing public education? Is there book banning or other censorship activity going on in your community? Submit the form to let us know!
Upcoming Events & Actions
Pledge to testify at upcoming SBOE meetings
Sign up to learn more about all upcoming Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) meetings where testimony is needed.
Advocacy Trainings Available on Demand
TX SBOE 101: Who Decides What Textbooks Are Taught In Classrooms? (June 2022)
Watch the recording
How to Testify at the SBOE (August 2022)
Watch the recording
Frequently Asked Questions
Across the country, there have been efforts to censor classroom lessons and ban books from schools and libraries, many of them about the experiences of people of color and LGBTQIA+ people. Texas hasn’t been immune. The Teach the Truth campaign is a coalition response to education censorship efforts in Texas. It seeks to ensure students receive a truthful education and access to books that reflect the diversity of our state and country.
Efforts to censor history and diverse experiences are happening at various levels.
The Texas Legislature passed a bill in 2021 that limits the discussions of current events, as well as the truthful teaching of our country’s troubled history of racism and discrimination. In 2023, they took their censorship further with HB 900, a controversial law that sought to completely ban or restrict materials in public school libraries by creating a vague and undefined rating system that would target LGBTQIA+ books and history. Thankfully, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked parts of HB 900 in January 2024 — but confusion and litigation continues.
The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) decides what every student in Texas public schools will learn from kindergarten through high school by adopting curriculum standards and textbooks for public schools in the state. For decades, far-right politicians on the SBOE and their extremist allies have taken advantage of this flawed system to dismiss the advice of experts and scholars. They have instead worked to inject their personal views into textbooks on everything from evolution and climate change to the history of slavery, civil rights, and separation of church and state.
Not at all. But we believe that Texans want education to be a community endeavor, one in which what we teach in our schools and what books sit on the shelves is decided through an orderly process and with input that is representative of the state and our local communities. Unfortunately, far too often, it is self-serving politicians and ill-intentioned activist groups trying to scare parents who are attempting to dictate the content of books and classroom lessons.
You probably already know this: Texas is pretty big! The best thing you can do is get involved at the local level, at your district’s school board meetings and city hall. In some cases, we might be able to help. See an issue in your community? Tell us about it by joining our campaign and letting us know what’s going on where you live. Whether it’s hosting an educational meeting with concerned parents and other community members, or working with your neighbors and others to engage in grassroots lobbying of school board members to pass an affirmative resolution to teach the truth in our schools, we can likely find a way to support you in your efforts.
The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is a 15-member board that decides what every student in Texas public schools will learn from kindergarten through high school by adopting curriculum standards and textbooks for public schools in the state. In short, the SBOE decides what is — and isn’t — taught in our public schools. This is a massive responsibility.
The SBOE is meant to create curricula that teach the truth and serve the needs of all Texas students. Instead, for decades, far-right politicians on the SBOE and their extremist allies have taken advantage of the flawed system to dismiss the advice of experts and scholars. They have worked to inject their personal views into textbooks and curricula on everything from evolution and climate change to the history of slavery, civil rights, and separation of church and state.
The SBOE’s decisions don’t just affect Texas, by the way. Texas is one of the largest markets for textbooks. Major national publishers will create textbooks based on our standards and revisions. Other states will then purchase those textbooks, which means students across the country will receive an education that was not decided by their own state or school district, but by the far-right Texas SBOE.
Across the country, there have been efforts to censor classroom lessons and ban books from schools and libraries, many of them about the experiences of people of color and LGBTQIA+ people. Texas hasn’t been immune. The Teach the Truth campaign is a coalition response to education censorship efforts in Texas. It seeks to ensure students receive a truthful education and access to books that reflect the diversity of our state and country. View our coalition partners.
Dive Deeper with Our Public Education Reports
Turning Texas Public Schools into Sunday Schools?
A Review of the State’s Proposed K-5 Reading Curriculum
By David R. Brockman, Ph.D., religious studies scholar and Christian theologian
August 2024
Students in Texas public schools have the same constitutional right to religious freedom as anyone else. Despite this, politicians and extremists continually attempt to undermine the separation of church and state in public school classrooms.
The state’s new K-5 curriculum — which schools would be financially incentivized to use — overemphasizes Christianity, too often portrays Christianity in a one-sided way that whitewashes difficult historical truths, and incorporates detailed Bible lessons in unnecessary and unwarranted ways.
Other Reports from the National Center for Science Education and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund
How Proposed Science Textbooks in Texas Address Climate Change & Evolution
August 2023
Texas has a long history of political battles over what schools can and can’t teach about climate change and evolution, even though teaching on these proven topics shouldn’t be up for debate at all.
We worked with a panel of expert scientists and educators to evaluate how well the textbooks submitted to the SBOE for review address these important topics.
How State Public School Science Standards Address Climate Change
October 2020
Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, political debate over the reality of climate change and human responsibility for it rages on. To what extent are public schools helping students understand what is happening and preparing them to responsibly engage in civic deliberation on the problem and possible solutions?
We engaged in a comparative study of how each state’s science standards address climate change.
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Donate to the #TeachTheTruth Campaign
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Teach the Truth Campaign Virtual Launch – March 2022
Teach the Truth Coalition Partners
Resources from Coalition Partners
CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND–TEXAS
Speak up for honest education: Email Chairman Keven Ellis
Student Advocacy Guide
(Zine Version) Student Advocacy Guide
(Printable Version) Student Advocacy Guide
IDRA
Infographic: 5 Reasons Private School Vouchers Would Hurt Students
Organizing Against Classroom Censorship
How Texas’ Newest Censorship Bill Applies to School Activities
What Texas’ Classroom Censorship Law Means for Students & Schools
PROGRESS TEXAS
Republican policies are responsible for the Texas teacher shortage
You’re Not Welcome Here: How book bans alienate Texas students
TEXANS FOR THE RIGHT TO READ
TLA Launches Texans for the Right to Read, Statewide Coalition Opposed to Book Banning
TEXAS STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
The Freedom to Read and Learn: Educators Respond to Book Bans
