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MustReadTexas.com [ [link removed] ] – @MustReadTexas [ [link removed] ]
BY: @MattMackowiak [ [link removed] ]
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WEDNESDAY || 11/20/24
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TOP NEWS   
“State Board of Education signals support for Bible-infused curriculum,” Texas Tribune's Jaden Edison — “A majority of the Texas State Board of Education signaled their support Tuesday for a state-authored curriculum under intense scrutiny in recent months for its heavy inclusion of biblical teachings.
Ahead of an official vote expected to happen Friday, eight of the 15 board members gave their preliminary approval to Bluebonnet Learning, the elementary school curriculum proposed by the Texas Education Agency earlier this year.
The state will have until late Wednesday to submit revisions in response to concerns raised by board members and the general public before the official vote takes place Friday. Board members reserve the right to change their votes.
The curriculum was designed with a cross-disciplinary approach that uses reading and language arts lessons to advance or cement concepts in other disciplines, such as history and social studies. Critics, which included religious studies experts, argue [ [link removed] ] the curriculum’s lessons allude to Christianity more than any other religion, which they say could lead to the bullying and isolation of non-Christian students, undermine church-state separation and grant the state far-reaching control over how children learn about religion. They also questioned the accuracy of some lessons.
The curriculum’s defenders say that references to Christianity will provide students with a better understanding of the country’s history.
Texas school districts have the freedom to choose their own lesson plans. If the state-authored curriculum receives approval this week, the choice to adopt the materials will remain with districts. But the state will offer an incentive of $60 per student to districts that choose to adopt the lessons, which could appeal to some as schools struggle financially after several years without a significant raise in state funding.
Three Republicans — Evelyn Brooks, Patricia Hardy and Pam Little — joined the board’s four Democrats in opposition to the materials.
Leslie Recine — a Republican whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to temporarily fill the State Board of Education’s District 13 seat vacated by former member Aicha Davis, a Democrat who ran successfully for a Texas House seat earlier this year — voted for the curriculum. Abbott handpicked Recine, potentially a deciding vote on the materials, to fill the seat through the end of the year days before the general election, bypassing Democrat Tiffany Clark. A majority of District 13 residents voted this election for Clark to represent them on the board next year. She ran unopposed.
Board members who signaled their support for the curriculum said they believed the materials would help students improve their reading and understanding of the world. Members also said politics in no way influenced their vote and that they supported the materials because they believed it would best serve Texas children.
“In my view, these stories are on the education side and are establishing cultural literacy,” Houston Republican Will Hickman said. “And there's religious concepts like the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule and Moses that all students should be exposed to.”
The proposed curriculum prompts teachers to relay the story of The Good Samaritan — a parable about loving everyone, including your enemies — to kindergarteners as an example of what it means to follow the Golden Rule. The story comes from the Bible, the lesson explains, and “was told by a man named Jesus” as part of his Sermon on the Mount, which included the phrase, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Many other religions [ [link removed] ] have their own version of the Golden Rule." Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
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HOU CHRON: “Houston signs deal for $1.2 billion hydrogen hub” Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
HOU CHRON: “Dozens arrested in Houston as part of Texas DPS 'clean scanning' bust” Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
DMN: “Group stole nearly $5M worth of vehicles from DFW Airport, police say” DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
SAEN: “Freeman Martin is new Texas Department of Public Safety director” SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
DMN: “Moody's gives Dallas a 'negative' debt outlook after Dallas Hero approval” DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
SAEN: “City to return $26 million to CPS Energy to hold down rate hikes” SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
AAS: “Travis County judges, officials get $50K in security funds as DA José Garza faces battles” AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)
HOU CHRON: “Whitmire, council change city law for new Houston Public Works head” Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
SAEN: “San Antonio school district OKs terms to sell land for ballpark” SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
TX TRIB: “Feds approve Texas' plan for $3 billion to expand broadband access” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
TX TRIB: “Trump's first Texas visit after historic Rio Grande Valley win spurs mix of excitement, trepidation” Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
SAEN: “Texas carbon storage projects await Trump budget cuts” SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE   
 > DMN: "Will Texas students soon learn Christian stories in public schools?" DMN [ [link removed] ]
 > FWST: "Traveling for Thanksgiving in Texas? When you should hit the road to avoid traffic, AAA says" FWST [ [link removed] ]
 > TX TRIB: "Donald Trump boosted mental health efforts in Texas in his first term. Will he do it again?" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
 > HOU CHRON: "Trump picks Chris Wright for energy secretary. Here's what he said about Texas" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
 > AP: "Trump and Musk solidify their bond with Texas trip for rocket launch" AP [ [link removed] ]
 > AP: "Texas board advances plan to allow Bible material in elementary school lessons" AP [ [link removed] ]
 > FWST: "This affordable housing complex near West 7th will be torn down and rebuilt" FWST [ [link removed] ]
 > SA REPORT: "State Board of Education signals support for Bible-infused curriculum" SA REPORT [ [link removed] ]
 > MY RGV: "Commissioner questions SpaceX stewardship as company pulls out of land deal" MY RGV [ [link removed] ]
 > DMN: "Can Dallas decriminalize weed? Some council members fear it’ll take a lawsuit to find out" DMN [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Montgomery County finalizes creation of medical examiner's office" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Clear Creek ISD receives ‘A’ financial rating from state" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Austin readies to update long-term water resource, conservation plans" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "EastVillage expected to add dining, housing and retail options to Tech Ridge" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Single-family home sales, average price rise in Houston in October" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Frisco ISD to open enrollment for area students in 2025-26 school year" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "American Airlines to add non-stop flight to Italy out of DFW Airport" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
EXTRA POINTS   
Last night's Texas sports scores:
 > NBA: Dallas 132, New Orleans 91
 > NBA: San Antonio 110, Oklahoma City 104
 > NCAAM: Missouri State 78, UT-Arlington 68
 > NCAAM: TCU 71, Alcorn State 48
 > NCAAM: Rice 83, Louisiana 61
 > NCAAM: #2 Connecticut 81, East Texas A&M 46
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
 > 7pm: NBA: Indiana at Houston
 > 7pm: NHL: San Jose at Dallas
 > 7pm: NCAAM: Southern at #23 Texas A&M (SEC Network)
 > 9pm: NCAAM: UTEP at UCSB (ESPN+)
TEXAS FOOTBALL: Bohls: "Texas football: The case for a 2-loss Longhorns team in CFP" Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)

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