Good morning,

Yesterday, we asked what readers thought should happen to public schools promoting radical gender and transsexual ideologies. Readers gave us their (very strong) answers, which you'll find below.

This is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

CORRECTION: There was a mistake in yesterday's Texas Minute. David Stein of Smith County is a candidate for Vice Chair of the Republican Party of Texas. I apologize for the error.

U.S. Supreme Court Puts Indefinite Pause on Texas Border Law

• The United States Supreme Court has indefinitely extended a pause on the implementation of Texas' new border security law. Luca Cacciatore has the story. 
      
• Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 4 from the 88th Legislature’s fourth special session late last year. The measure made it a state crime to enter Texas illegally. Law enforcement officials would be empowered under the law to make arrests and prosecute illegal aliens. It was slated to take effect on March 5.
        
• The Biden administration challenged the law in court, with a federal judge in Texas blocking it. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with the judge but pushed back the effective date. An appeal by the Biden administration resulted in yesterday's order that freezes the law indefinitely.
     
• After the SCOTUS ruling was issued, Abbott took to social media to assert that the state would continue "using its authority to arrest illegal immigrants for criminal trespass and other violations of law." 

SCOTUS Sides with West Texas A&M Against Drag Shows

• Amid a lengthy legal battle between students wanting to host a drag show on campus and West Texas A&M University’s President Walter Wendler canceling it, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the president is allowed to stop the event from taking place. Emily Medeiros has the story.

     
• SCOTUS denied the student group’s emergency petition to intervene in the case so they could proceed with hosting the drag show on the university’s campus, located in Canyon. 
      
• Last year, an LGBTQ group tried to host a drag show on campus, but Wendler condemned and blocked the event. He said drag shows discriminate against womanhood.
       

• While SCOTUS has denied the students’ petition to intervene, the case is set to be heard at the New Orleans-based U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in late April. 

COME & TAKE IT: Stop Targeting Kids

Investigation: DEI and UNT

• Even though the Denton-based University of North Texas has officially shut down the offices and programs related to the leftist "diversity, equity, and inclusion" agenda, questions are being raised about the institution's actual commitment to following a new state law. As part of an ongoing investigation, Robert Montoya and Quinn Sullivan examine the extent to which UNT is adhering to the statewide ban on "DEI" in higher education.
     
• The university is capable of reform, but the existence of three employee resource groups—focusing on anti-racism, transgender issues, and LGBTQ matters—indicates that more could be done.
       
• Legislation signed into law last year forbids Texas’ public universities from establishing a DEI office, using DEI criteria in their hiring practices, or requiring employees or prospective employees to attend DEI training.
      
• At noon today, the investigation will reveal Marxist professors at UNT... and the Marxist classes taxpayers are funding.

Questions Raised about Firefighter Deal

• Two Houston City Council members are raising “several key questions and concerns” over the newly crafted settlement agreement between Mayor John Whitmire and the Houston firefighters. Charles Blain has the details.
   
• The questions from council members Ed Pollard and Tiffany Thomas range from dealing with financial responsibility to the process used to finalize the agreement.
       
• The agreement, announced last week, includes a $650 million back pay settlement to the firefighters for all active firefighters, retired firefighters, families of firefighters who died in the line of duty since 2017, and those who left for medical reasons. It also includes a 10 percent pay increase on July 1, 2024, and a new 5-year contract. 

Quote-Unquote

"A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools."

– Texas Constitution, Article 7​

Y'All Answered

Increasingly, public schools in Texas are allowing resources and instruction time to be spent indoctrinating children into radical sex and gender ideologies. With pornographic books in the libraries, LGBTQ parades through the hallways, and cross-dressing teachers in the classrooms, no one should be surprised that government schools are producing worsening academic results.

Yesterday, we asked readers if state funding should be withdrawn from school districts that allow this behavior. Just under 97 percent of readers want those schools to lose state money, while 3.08 percent think the funding should continue. 

Here is a sampling of the responses we received...

• “If schools spent more time teaching the students History, English, and Math rather than an indoctrination in DEI, we would have young people that understand what they are supposed to be doing with their lives and get an education.” – Len Lawrence
      

• “All school districts that push this gender crap to our kids should lose more than just state funding. They should be closed, and their educators should be made to register as pedophiles. This is just sick!” – Sharla Miles
      

• “You are so full of [profanity redacted]!!! Name one indoctrination tactic being used at public schools.the Republicans have been in power for over 30 yrs in Texas, so if you wanna blame this false narrative then blame your own stupid party.” – Velma DeLeon
      

• “How long is it going to take public schools to recognize why the population of Texas is growing and their enrollment is declining? Does anyone think there are less children in the state this year than last? Is it possible the ‘silent majority’ is speaking?” – Robert Gardner
      

• “All schools promoting DEI programs should lose funding.” – Sandi Stephens
      

• “If there are NEVER any consequences for their action, then they will keep repeating it.” – Manuel Blanco
     

• “Children ‘indoctrinated’ in public schools eventually grow up to vote in public elections.” – Jack Boteler
     

• “Parents should take time to do a bit of volunteering in their child’s school. You really get to see and hear what goes on in public schools. If you want in-depth exposure to the curriculum, sign up to be a substitute teacher in the 7th-12th grade classes. It’s eye-opening.” – Robin McCarty
      

• “Throwing money at the problems in schools has not resulted in improvement of said schools. All funding needs to be reevaluated.” – Tara Souther
     

• “Public school classrooms should not be a place where 'adults' are allowed to drag in their depraved bedroom antics.” – Randy Miller
       

• “Radical sex theories and gender ideologies have no place in a public taxpayer-supported school.” – Dana Krasinksi
      

• "Why should we, the taxpayers, fund this evil mindset? If schools are not going to teach our children the basic tenets of education, defund them completely!" – Debbie Hills
      

• “If any business owner hires an employee to do one specific task, but the new employee fails to do that task and does whatever else that they want, the business owner would fire that employee immediately.  Since teachers are the ‘employees’ of the taxpayers, taxpayers should ‘fire them.’” – Michael Belsick
      

• “Public Schools need to return to a traditional education based on the liberal arts, classical literature, fine arts, and the history of civilization. It has worked for 2500 years. Out with the social engineering-focused education!” – Debbie Wolgemuth
       

• “I honestly don't think the public schools are worth the effort to save. They are too far gone with evil infestation on all levels.” – Nancy Wood
      

• “As a former teacher, I know that schools will never change unless they fear losing money. I remember being told that unless I vote for school bond issues, I am not voting for children.” – Glenda Piacenti
      

• “The mission and purpose of schools is education, not indoctrination.” – Steve Sullivan
      

• “All school districts in Texas are effectively run by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and by derivation the university system that indoctrinates the administrators through their Masters and Ph.D. programs in ‘Educational Leadership’ and ultimately the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), where all of this woke garbage begins. Therefore, we'd have to defund them all! A more feasible solution would be actual school choice, $15-20K per child with absolutely zero strings attached.“ – Spencer Siino

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