Good morning, 

Last week saw Republican State Rep. Tony Tinderholt banned from asking questions of House Speaker Dade Phelan. In this week's One Click Survey, we ask what you think about Phelan silencing his fellow Republicans.

But first, here is the Texas Minute for Monday, October 16, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

NOTE: In Friday's Reflection on the dangers of always trying to prove ourselves right, a typo gave the wrong scripture reference. It should have been Joshua 5:13-15. I apologize for the error, which – in a way – helped prove the point to myself!

Senate Moves Swiftly Through Special Session Agenda While House Dawdles 

• As the third legislative special session continues, the Texas Senate passed measures relating to school choice, border security, and ending COVID-19 employer vaccine mandates. Meanwhile, reports Syndie Henry, the House has took no legislative actions except to set committee hearings for this week.

       
• The only significant activity in the House last week was Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) banning State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) from making parliamentary inquiries. 
      
• “The House needs to get to work because Texans are watching,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
      
• The Senate will convene at 1 p.m. today. The House will meet at 3 p.m.

Abbott Promises "Full Funding" For Government Schools Once School Choice Passes

• Speaking at an event in Austin late last week, Gov. Greg Abbott said he would expand the agenda for the special legislative session to include teacher pay raises and "full funding" for government schools. Emily Medeiros reports on Abbott's speech.
        
• It is unclear what Abbott means by "full funding" for public education. Michael Barba of the Texas Public Policy Foundation notes that Texas taxpayers spent $84.8 billion on public education in the 2021-22 school year, which is $15,708 for each of the 5.4 million Texas students.
        
• Meanwhile, Bill Peacock of the Huffines Liberty Foundation explains that the K-12 education budget adopted by state lawmakers this spring increases spending 12.4 percent for the 2024-2025 biennium over 2022-2023.
      
• Teacher pay is set by local school districts, with the state setting minimum salaries. According to the Texas Education Agency, the average teacher salary in 2021 was $57,918.

Government Schools Admit to Defying Critical Race Theory Ban

• Officials in central Texas' government school systems admit to defying Texas’ ban on Critical Race Theory in K-12 schools. The ban was enacted in 2021, but Accuracy in Media reports districts across Texas are ignoring it.
       
• During an undercover interview with Deanna Perkins, a fourth-grade teacher in Leander ISD, she told the investigator that while there is no “formal DEI,” they are “incorporating it in the books we read.”
     
• Stephanie Hawley, an equity officer with Austin ISD, confirmed with an undercover investigator that her district uses progressive sites for instructional materials because “it lets us stay out of trouble with the legislature.”

Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexually Grooming 14-year-old Student

• A Texas teacher convicted of sex crimes involving a 14-year-old female student has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Erin Anderson has the story.
       
• Nicholas Dominique Bueno, 28, pled guilty to three counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor back in May. In June, he was convicted of one count of enticement and attempted enticement of a minor. 
      
• Bueno was a science teacher and head boys’ basketball coach at O’Donnell High School in O’Donnell Independent School District. He was arrested in October 2022 after a school administrator notified law enforcement about allegations of an “inappropriate relationship” between Bueno and a student.
      
• An Texas anti-sex trafficking law enacted this year also makes it a state felony to groom children. State records show Bueno’s Texas teacher certificate remains valid, but he is “under review” by the Texas Education Agency. 

Today In History

On Oct. 16, 1909, leaders of the United States and Mexico met for the first time. U.S. President William Taft met with his Mexican counterpart, Porfirio Díaz, in El Paso.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Late last week, House Speaker Dade Phelan took the extraordinary step of forbidding State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) from asking questions of the chair during legislative business. Phelan has never stripped Democrats of their ability to use parlimentary rules to suit their own purposes. In issuing his ruling, Phelan cited as precedent former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi using her authority to silence Republican members of Congress.

Should the speaker of the Texas House be allowed to silence a member?

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!