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 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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Teach the Truth Talks
Donate to the #TeachTheTruth Campaign
Read More About Teach the Truth
Visit our blog to learn more about our current & past work to ensure schools #TeachTheTruth:
Texas Board of Education Fails to Update Standards From A Dozen Years Ago During Special Meeting
AUSTIN, Texas – The State Board of Education held a special meeting yesterday to revise current social studies standards to include requirements called for by the law passed under SB3 during the last legislative session. The State Board of Education had the opportunity to vote on amendments that would help improve the standards, but instead,…
PSA: Ray Bradbury Called, He Wants his Novel Back.
Texas feels a lot like Fahrenheit 451 these days. Not because it is summer, though that’s part of it, but because the new school year is exposing some of the cartoonish and harmful acts the government is committing to control our students’ education.
Texans Taking Care of Texans: Meet This Quarter’s Super Volunteers
TFN has always fought for Texas school children at the SBOE. But our work would be impossible without the dedication of volunteers who sign up to testify, recruit others to testify, organize at local school board levels, and respond to our various calls to action. While our fight at the SBOE is far from over,…
SBOE Watch: How the Board Reached its Latest Decision and What’s Next
Last week, the State Board of Education chose to delay the Social Studies TEKS revision, wasting $200,000 of state funds allocated to workgroups while silencing the voices of our communities. Flooded with misinformation, overwhelmed by public testimony from a small, extremist group of testifiers who opposed an inclusive curriculum, the board bowed to pressure and…
Campaign of Falsehoods and Misinformation Helps Derail Texas Social Studies Overhaul
Far-Right Groups Poison Overhaul with Culture War Objections, Demands to Sanitize History and Reject Inclusive Standards AUSTIN, Texas – An array of far-right groups today helped derail months of work on the first major overhaul of Texas social studies standards in a dozen years with a misleading and poisonous culture war campaign. After the State…
ADVOCATES CALL ON TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO TEACH THE TRUTH, NOT POLITICAL AGENDAS
Advocates today denounced inflammatory attacks on teachers and called on the State Board of Education to ensure new curriculum standards allow public schools to teach the truth
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
UNITING TO SAVE OUR SCHOOLS
Teach the Truth Coalition Partners

















