On January 10, 2023, the Texas Legislature will begin its 88th regular session. Thanks to voter suppression and electoral map gerrymandering, Republicans control both chambers comfortably, meaning Democrats will again have to fight exceptionally hard to intercept the barrage of attacks we’re about to see the far-right inflict on LGBTQIA+ Texans, public school teachers and administrators, voters of color, disabled voters, election administrators, and, weird as it feels to say this aloud, books. […]
Textbook Censorship
The Texas State Board of Education decides what every student in Texas public schools will learn from kindergarten through high school. The board does so by adopting curriculum standards and textbooks for public schools in the state.
For decades, far-right politicians on the State Board of Education 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.
Resources
- Report Reveals Serious Flaws in Social Studies Textbooks
- The State Board of Education: Dragging Texas Schools into the Culture Wars (2008 report)
- Evolution, Creationism & Public Schools: Surveying Texas Scientists (2008 report)
- Culture Wars and the Classroom (2010 report)
- Senate Bill 6: Changes in the Textbook Adoption Process (2011 report)
- Texas Science Curriculum Standards: Challenges (2012 report)
- Science Textbook Review (2013 report)
- Social Studies Textbook Review (2014 report)
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. […]
Rep. James Talarico is Rev. James Talarico is Rep. James Talarico
Few politicians have had the trajectory of Representative James Talarico (D-Austin). He went from being a public school teacher to passing historic progressive legislation as the youngest member of the Texas Legislature House, and now, answering the pastoral call by going to seminary. […]
Texans Taking Care of Texans: Meet This Quarter’s Super Volunteer
Last week, the State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to adopt the social studies curriculum, after having bowed to the demands of extremists and conspiracy theorists in choosing to delay the revision of Texas’ social studies curriculum, referred to as the Social Studies TEKs, back in August. […]
TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FAILS ON SOCIAL STUDIES BUT VOTES TO OPPOSE PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas State Board of Education’s preliminary vote today to approve minimally revised social studies standards first adopted a dozen years ago is a surrender to political pressure from those opposed to teaching the truth about the state’s history and diversity. […]
