Teach the Truth: Texans United Against Censorship in Education

Our Vision

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.

Join Our Movement

Events & Actions

Report Book Banning & Censorship

Frequently Asked Questions

#TeachTheTruth Talks

More About Our Work

Resources from Coalition Partners

Join Our Movement to Teach the Truth

Upcoming Events & Actions

Pledge to testify at upcoming SBOE meetings

Sign up to learn more about all upcoming Texas School Board of Education (SBOE) meetings where testimony is needed.

Pledge to Testify

Past Trainings

Watch the recording here

TX SBOE 101: Who Decides What Textbooks Are Taught In Classrooms?

How to Testify at the SBOE

Watch the recording here

Is there something going on in your community that you’d like to report?

Report Book Banning & Educational Censorship

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this campaign about?

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.

Where are these things – book bans and censorship efforts – happening?

Efforts to censor history and diverse experiences are happening at various levels.

At the Texas Legislature last year, a bill was passed that limits the discussions of current events, as well as the truthful teaching of our country’s troubled history of racism and discrimination. At the local level, some libraries and school districts have rushed to pull books from the shelves in response to a single complaint or political pressure from elected officials.

One example: A state lawmaker has targeted approximately 850 books for investigation and possible removal from schools. Multiple school districts have already hastily removed books in response to this one state official’s investigation.

The Texas State Board of Education, which decides what is and isn’t taught in schools, is rewriting statewide social studies standards that include history this year. This process is already off to a concerning start. We recently learned that a conspiracy theorist was appointed to advise the board on the new standards.

So are you saying that ANYTHING should be taught in schools?

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.

How can we get involved?

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.