FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2023 CONTACT: Emily Witt (she/hers), [email protected] AUSTIN, Texas – The House Committee on Public Education spent six hours Tuesday night hearing a bill that would completely ban or restrict materials in public school libraries by creating a vague and undefined rating system with multiple levels of review by several state […]
Education
Texas has an increasingly diverse public education system with a public school enrollment of more than 5 million. Unfortunately, that public education system is also the target of right-wing extremists seeking to privatize our neighborhood public schools and push a culture-war agenda in the classroom.
To that end, Texas Freedom Network tirelessly fights for Texas public school students at the Capitol — opposing private school voucher legislation, sticking up for students’ freedoms, advocating for truthful, censorship-free lessons and textbooks, and more. We’ve also conducted groundbreaking research into what is taught in classrooms on subjects like sex education and religion.
Resources
- Teach the Truth: Texans United Against Censorship in Education
- Broken Promises: Charter Schools in Texas (2000 report)
- Broken Promises II (2001 report)
- The State Board of Education: Dragging Texas Schools into the Culture Wars (2008 report)
- Just Say Don’t Know: Sex Education in Texas Public Schools (2009 report)
- Sex Education in Public Schools: Progress in the Lone Star State (2011 report)
- Reading Writing & Religion: Teaching the Bible in Texas Public Schools (2006 report)
- Reading, Writing & Religion II (2013 report)
- Can This Class Be Saved? The ‘Hobby Lobby’ Public School Bible Curriculum (2014 report)
Celebrate Charles Darwin’s Birthday by Allowing Schools to #TeachTheTruth
As long as one can remember, parents have sent their children to school in hopes that they’ll get an education that will allow them to learn from our past, develop critical thinking skills, and find their passion as they become contributing adults in our society. The schoolhouse door is meant to welcome children from every […]
Texas SBOE Majority Betrays Millions of Public School Students
AUSTIN, Texas – In a reversal of their vote in November, the Texas State Board of Education has voted to remove its previous recommendation to the Legislature opposing private school vouchers.
This week’s vote by the State Board of Education’s Republican majority to reverse the board’s previous bipartisan opposition to voucher legislation is a betrayal of the millions of children who attend Texas public schools, Texas Freedom Network Political Director Carisa Lopez said today. […]
Texas Freedom Network Announces Priorities for 88th Legislative Session
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Freedom Network today announced its top tier of legislative advocacy ahead of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, emphasizing LGBTQIA+ protections, the need to teach the truth, abortion access, voting access on college campuses, and ensuring religious freedom. TFN will spearhead advocacy efforts in these areas while providing support to partner organizations and coalitions in other areas like climate justice, criminal justice, and immigration. […]
The Great Social Studies Battle of 2022
The battle over teaching the truth in Texas social studies classes moved back to the State Board of Education in 2022 with a planned overhaul of standards. Tragically, far-right forces ultimately derailed the social studies revision at the state board, showing that the education of Texas students remains vulnerable to political games. […]
