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
TX SBOE 101: Who Decides What Textbooks Are Taught In Classrooms?
Watch the recording
How to Testify at the SBOE
Watch the recording
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.
The Texas Legislature passed a bill in 2021 that limits the discussions of current events, as well as the truthful teaching of our country’s troubled history of racism and discrimination. This year, they took it further by passing legislation that requires all book vendors serving Texas public schools to give any book with references to gender identity, sexual orientation, or intimate relationships a rating of either “sexually relevant” or “sexually explicit.” According to the bill, vendors cannot sell a book that “describes or portrays sexual conduct … in a patently offensive way,” to school districts. The bill’s language does not specify what is considered “patently offensive,” nor does it require book ratings to be standardized.
The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) decides what every student in Texas public schools will learn from kindergarten through high school by adopting curriculum standards and textbooks for public schools in the state. For decades, far-right politicians on the SBOE 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.
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
Public Education Reports
From the National Center for Science Education and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund
How Proposed Science Textbooks in Texas Address Climate Change & Evolution
August 2023
Texas has a long history of political battles over what schools can and can’t teach about climate change and evolution, even though teaching on on these proven topics shouldn’t be up for debate at all.
We worked with a panel of expert scientists and educators to evaluate how well the textbooks submitted to the SBOE for review address these important topics.
How State Public School Science Standards Address Climate Change
October 2020
Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, political debate over the reality of climate change and human responsibility for it rages on. To what extent are public schools helping students understand what is happening and preparing them to responsibly engage in civic deliberation on the problem and possible solutions?
We engaged in a comparative study of how each state’s science standards address climate change.
Donate to the #TeachTheTruth Campaign
Read More About Teach the Truth
Visit our blog to learn more about our current and past work to ensure schools #TeachTheTruth:
Right-Wing SBOE Member Julie Pickren Attempts to Politicize Texas Classrooms Through Announcement with Controversial Vendor PragerU
Julie Pickren yesterday claimed in a video that materials from PragerU, a controversial vendor already introduced in Florida public schools, will soon be available in Texas schools. Board members have not yet met to discuss the adoption of educational materials, nor have parents, students, or educators had the opportunity to testify publicly on the matter.
REPORT: Proposed Textbooks Could Help Texas Students Learn More About Climate Change
Texas State Board of Education, a Notorious Hotbed of Anti-Science Politics, Will Vote This Fall on Which Textbooks to Adopt for Public Schools FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 22, 2023Contact:Emily Witt, Texas Freedom Network (TFN), [email protected] Oh, National Center for Science Education (NCSE), [email protected] https://youtu.be/rWHftC1oAXM AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Freedom Network Education Fund and National Center for…
On Juneteenth, We’re Fighting to Teach the Truth of Our History with Race and Slavery as Extremists Try to Erase It
As the newest federal holiday signed in 2021 by President Biden, Juneteenth is slowly becoming a quotidian topic of conversation. June 19, commonly referred to as Juneteenth, can be described as America’s second independence day — marking the day that freed people from slavery in the furthest Confederate-controlled region of Texas.
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,…
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
