Good morning!

Yesterday’s One Click Survey on “Critical Race Theory” had huge participation… I’ve got the result below.

Do you know a college-age Texan looking for a paid internship? More on that towards the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Thursday, May 13, 2021
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• Legislation offering homeschooled students access to public school activities, including sports, was approved in the Texas House on Wednesday. House Bill 547 by James Frank (R–Wichita Falls) came to the floor with support – and opposition – from both sides of the partisan aisle.
       
• As Joshua Pierce reports, the legislation is known popularly as the “Tim Tebow Bill,” in reference to the professional athlete who took advantage of such an arrangement as a homeschooled student in Florida.
       
• Should it become law, the bill would allow homeschool students to participate in public school sports, if they demonstrate academic proficiency as evidenced by taking one of four approved standardized tests, and agree to the same rules as their public-school peers.
       
• With less than three weeks left in the legislative session, the measure has a long way to go. It still requires a final vote from the House (possibly later today) before it can go to the Senate, where a companion bill by Angela Paxton (R–Frisco) has yet to move beyond that chamber’s Education committee.

• As lawmakers considered a proposed law yesterday preventing government officials from shutting down churches, Democrat State Rep. Rhetta Bowers (Garland) objected to safeguarding “these super spreader events [that] are a threat to public safety and to public health.” Jacob Asmussen has the story.
       
• What she called “super spreader events” are what most people call “worship services.”
          
• “Following the COVID shutdowns, there’s been a clear case across the United States and in the state of Texas of discrimination against religious organizations,” explained the author of House Bill 525, Matt Shaheen (R-Plano). He noted instances where churches were singled out for closure by government officials even where commercial operations were allowed to operate.
        
• House members sided with Shaheen (and Texans’ constitutional rights), and approved HB 525.

• “FREEDOM OF WORSHIP. All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship. But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship.” – Texas Constitution, Article 1, Section 6 [emphasis added]

• Democrats and “defund the police” leftists are lining up behind Deborah Peoples in the runoff election for Fort Worth mayor. Robert Montoya has the details.
      
• “Turning Fort Worth blue is the key to turning Texas blue,” is the phrase Peoples has used in her campaign emails since April.  Peoples faces Mattie Parker in the June 5 runoff election.
     
• “Fort Worth citizens are tired of divisive Washington, D.C. partisan politics because they don’t do anything to solve the problems facing our neighborhoods,” said Parker. “My campaign reflects my commitment to the people of Fort Worth that I will only have one focus as mayor: what is the best thing for the neighborhoods of Fort Worth.”

• At a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz took issue with the phrase “ghost guns” to describe homemade firearms. Check out Iris Poole’s article.
      
• “It’s a name that is intended to scare people. It’s designed to make people think that certain firearms are more dangerous than others, that certain firearms are beyond the reach of current law.” – Ted Cruz

Summer Fellowship Deadline Approaching!

Designed for Texans under the age of 25, Texas Scorecard’s paid Fellowship program is for individuals with an interest in journalism, public policy, effective civic engagement, political accountability, and Texas history. The program offers three tracks: writing, research, and administration. Learn more and apply today! We are accepting applications for Summer 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022.

Y’All Answered

Yesterday we asked if “Critical Race Theory” should be taught in Texas’ public schools. The response wasn’t even close. Just 0.9% of readers said “yes,” compared to 99.1% of readers gave an unambiguous, “No.”

• “Since there wasn’t a button named ‘Heck No,’ I voted No.” – Mark Henley
        
• “Because children's education is given by God to the children's parents, not to the government (see Deut 6:4-7).” – Carolyn Brent
       
• “Critical Race Theory is a gigantic LIE and there is no way it should be taught in any school, much less any school in the state of Texas. Teach true history, not some leftist garbage.” – Harry Hingst
      
• “I actually think critical race theory SHOULD be taught as an example of a lie that is told enough for gullible people to believe it's true.” – Melynda Caudle
     
• “Critical race theory is another attempt to deconstruct the greatness of these United States of America. They cannot show it by example so instead try to implant these savage ideas in young impressionable minds.” – Ellen Theilen

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