AN EDUCATIONAL CUP OF TEA

Honestly, it can make me feel hopeless and helpless seeing all the House and Senate Bills passed here in Texas that make it even harder to teach in public education than it already is. Then one of my heroes, Kendra Adachi, had a podcast episode on “When You Are Overwhelmed By the World.” There are great tips throughout the whole episode, but the one that really struck a chord with me was Start Small: “No single fallible human being can change the world on their own with one big sweeping decision, but many of us together can do small things that change the world.” That got me thinking, what small thing can I do that builds on small things from other people that can create change? Then an email came through from the Texas Freedom Network about an opportunity to join their Public Education Leadership cohort.

The Public Education Leadership cohort email I received said the program would include:

• A deep understanding of how the State Board of Education (SBOE), the Texas Legislature, and local school boards make decisions and pass laws that affect Texas classrooms
• Organizing skills and tools you can use right away — public testimony, digital action, research, and more
• Access to a community of advocates across the state just like you who are fighting for honest, inclusive, and quality public education

Texas Senate Bill 10

Texas Senate Bill 10 requires all public elementary and secondary schools to display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill specifies the exact text of the Ten Commandments to be used, as well as the size and legibility requirements for the display. The displays can be privately donated, and the bill mandates that the Texas attorney general must defend any school district that faces a lawsuit for complying with this law.

• Optional Policy: School districts are not required to implement this policy, but they can choose to do so by a vote of the school board.
• Written Consent: For students to participate, a parent or guardian must provide signed consent. School employees must also provide signed consent to participate. This consent can be revoked at any time.
• Waiver of Liability: The consent form includes a waiver of legal claims against the school district and its employees, including claims related to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
• No Coercion: While school personnel can encourage participation, they are prohibited from requiring or coercing anyone to attend.
• Separation from Non-participants: The prayer and religious readings cannot be conducted over a public address system and must not be within the hearing of those who have not consented to participate.
• No Replacement of Instructional Time: The period of prayer and reading cannot be a substitute for instructional time.
• Attorney General’s Defense: The bill requires the Texas Attorney General to defend any school district that implements this policy and is subsequently sued.

Texas Senate Bill 12

Texas Senate Bill 12, also known as the “Parental Bill of Rights,” significantly impacts public education in Texas by focusing on parental rights, curriculum, and school activities. Here are the key provisions:

• Parental Rights: The bill strengthens the rights of parents to direct their children’s moral and religious training, make decisions about their education, and consent to medical and psychological treatment. It also requires school districts to establish a clear process for addressing parental grievances.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): SB 12 prohibits K-12 public schools from establishing or maintaining DEI offices or hiring employees to perform DEI-related duties. The bill defines DEI duties broadly, including any activities or programs that reference race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
• Instruction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: The bill contains a provision similar to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, prohibiting instruction, guidance, or activities on sexual orientation or gender identity at any grade level.
• Student Clubs: The bill prohibits schools from sponsoring or authorizing student clubs organized around sexual orientation or gender identity, such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). It also requires parental consent for a student to join any school club.

• Social Transitioning: The bill prohibits school employees from assisting a student in “social transitioning,” which it defines as the use of a name, pronouns, or other gender expressions that differ from a student’s sex assigned at birth.

Texas Senate Bill 13

Texas SB 13 significantly shifts control over school library materials from professional librarians to local school boards and parents. The core purpose of the bill is to ensure that library content aligns with what it terms “local community values” and to increase parental oversight.

Key provisions of the bill include:

• School Board Authority: The ultimate decision-making power for acquiring and removing library books rests with the local school district’s board of trustees, not librarians.
• Parental Advisory Councils: The bill allows for the creation of “local school library advisory councils.” These councils, which would be composed primarily of parents, can be established if as few as 50 parents in the district sign a petition. These councils will assist the school board in reviewing materials and ensuring they reflect community values.
• Book Challenge Process: Parents, residents, and district employees can formally challenge any material in the library. Once a book is challenged, students are barred from accessing it until the advisory council and school board make a final decision.
• Parental Control: The bill grants parents the right to view a record of all library materials their child checks out. Furthermore, parents can submit a list of books that their child is explicitly forbidden from accessing.

• Content Standards: The bill uses terms like “harmful material,” “indecent content,” and “profane content” as criteria for review and potential removal.