Content warning: This blog discusses historical racial violence. If you keep up with public education, you’ve probably heard of PragerU by now. Maybe you even followed the controversy when far-right State Board of Education (SBOE) member Julie Pickren falsely claimed it was coming to Texas classrooms last year. Let’s get it straight: PragerU is not […]
Educational Censorship
Religious Right’s Efforts to Ban Books in Texas Schools Fails in Court, Texas Freedom Network Celebrates Judge’s Order on HB 900
U.S. District Judge Alan Albright yesterday issued a written order stopping the state from implementing HB 900, which sought to 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 agencies. […]
Books ‘R’ Us: Readers on the Impact of Books in Their Lives
Books are magic. They teach, inspire, comfort, guide, and entertain us. They can challenge our worldview, transport and connect us to realities that aren’t always our own. They build us up, and sometimes, they can reveal our truest selves without judgment. They’re reliable, safe spaces, and great listeners. They help us place ourselves in the big, unknowable world. […]
Teach the Truth: A Conversation with Jerry Craft
Numerous Black authors have watched as right-wing leaders ban their books from libraries and classrooms across the country, and in Texas, a state rep has launched an investigation targeting hundreds of titles. One book of the books on the list is Class Act by Jerry Craft. Craft sat down with us to discuss book banning, the impact of classroom censorship on his work, public school students, and the community as a whole. […]
Texas Takes Step Forward on Teaching About Climate Change
State Board of Education Gives Approval to Standards That Beef Up Coverage of Climate Change in Selected High School Science Classes FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 25, 2021 AUSTIN, Texas –The State Board of Education today voted to approve new curriculum standards for selected high school courses, marking a limited but important step forward in teaching […]
