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Here is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Abbott Makes First '24 Endorsement Against Incumbent

• After vowing to take the battle for school choice “to the ballot box,” Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed his first challenger against a Republican incumbent in this 2024 election cycle. Brandon Waltens has the details.

        
• On Tuesday, Abbott announced his endorsement of pro-family advocate Hillary Hickland against incumbent State Rep. Hugh Shine (R–Belton). Shine was among 21 Republicans who joined Democrats in a vote to kill a school choice proposal in the House. 
         
• This probably won't be the last endorsement Abbott makes against those who opposed his top legislative priority.
        
• Although Shine has announced he will seek re-election, he has not yet officially filed for office. The deadline to do so is December 11.

D.E.I. in K-12 Public Schools

• A Central Texas school district has created a controversial "Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" office in its top-tier management. Sydnie Henry reports the office was created by the school board back in 2021.

        
• "DEI" is a leftist social program favoring politicized "equity" of outcomes rather than "equality" of opportunities.
       
• Leander Independent School District, located northwest of Austin, hired DeWayne Street as its DEI Chief, and now lists the position in the senior staff of the district. Leander ISD has more than 42,000 students.
      
• The district claims the office exists to provide "equitable educational access and opportunity" for all students. The office also works to establish DEI goals for each department and campus, but does not specify what kinds of goals those might be.
       
• A state law goes into effect in January barring the state's colleges and universities from establishing or maintaining a DEI office, using DEI criteria in their hiring practices, or requiring employees or prospective employees to attend DEI trainings.

UT Dallas Removes 'Spirit Rocks' After Political Dust-Up

• The University of Texas at Dallas has removed its historic campus “spirit rocks” because recent pro-Israel vs. pro-Palestine messages were “inconsistent” with the rocks’ original purpose. Will Biagini has the story. 

      
• The rocks have long been a venue where students were free to spray paint public messages. In recent weeks, the "spirit rocks" have been used to convey sentiments regarding Israel and Hamas.
       
• The UTD Division of Student Affairs issued a statement saying the recent messages were negatively impacting people on and off campus.
      
• A survey of students by the school newspaper found that despite vast differences in publicly expressed sentiments regarding the Middle East, 92 percent of students opposed the removal of the "spirit rocks."

Polling Shows Whitmire Still Leads in Houston Mayoral Race

• New polling shows State Sen. John Whitmire is leading U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in the race, 42 percent to 35 percent. As Emily Medeiros reports, 22 percent of voters are reportedly undecided.
        
• Both contenders are career Democrat politicians who currently hold other offices. Of 18 candidates for the office on the general election ballot, Whitmire and Jackson Lee were the only two candidates to receive double-digit percentages of the vote.
      

• Early voting began Monday and runs through December 5. Election Day is Saturday, December 9.

Quote-Unquote

"If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world."

– Athanasius of Alexandria​

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