The Texas Values team wishes you and your family a blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter.  As we celebrate this sacred time of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection, we reflect in gratitude on God’s love for us, our blessings, and the right to worship freely.  Thank you for your support as we continue to advance faith, family, and freedom in Texas.

Good Friday School Reminder

As you celebrate Easter week, we want to remind you that Texas law protects your religious freedom at school and Texas Values is constantly fighting on your behalf to safeguard your First Amendment rights.  

In previous years, controversy has erupted because of concern that some Texas school districts would not give excused absences to students who were observing Good Friday. Some schools have tried in the past to make Good Friday an official makeup day for their school districts, or have requested documentation of how a student chooses to exercise their holy day observance before excusing them. 

Texas law requires that schools provide an "excused" absence for students who observe a religious holy day, like Good Friday. Texas law does not say that a child has to attend a specific religious event. 

The Latest on The State Board of Education Meeting

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) met last week in Austin, Texas. During their meeting, they were able to give an update on the revision of the Social Studies TEKS for K-12 students. Despite the standards for many of the subjects regarding history not being yet published, Left-leaning ethnic studies advocates warned the Board that the standards must include history from their points of view which includes Social Emotional Learning (SEL). One left-leaning testifier was upset that workgroups were given a copy of SB 3, the Anti-Critical Race Theory Law, as a point of reference for drafting the standards. However, the Board proceeded to talk about how to best educate Texas students in Social Studies and SBOE Chairman Ellis said that the SBOE will not entertain Common Core or National Standards. Upon adjournment, the Texas Education Agency issued a press release stating that the SBOE will increase Texas History instruction to six grade levels. You may recall that earlier in the year there was a suggestion to decrease instruction on Texas History by not having a standalone course like students currently have. Now, students will have additional Texas History instruction in addition to their 4th grade and 7th grade Texas History courses.  Drafts for high school Social Studies courses are now posted and can be viewed on the TEA website. The SBOE will discuss the posted high school drafts at the meeting in June where you will have an opportunity to testify. The SBOE is planning to have an additional meeting in July or August, outside their normal schedule, to go over the elementary school Social Studies standards. The time to get involved is NOW and you can start by reviewing the posted standards, contacting your SBOE member, and showing up at the June meeting to testify.

TEA Addresses Obscene Materials in the Library with New Policy

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath issued a model policy this week to keep pornographic books out of school libraries and give parents the right to review library books. The commissioner’s letter and model policy are a response to Governor Abbott’s request for the TEA to act on the presence of obscene materials in libraries that was sent in December. Last year, parents in school districts such as Leander ISD, Keller ISD, and McKinney ISD discovered obscene reading materials in their school’s libraries and children’s reading lists. As a response, former state Representative Matt Krause helped launch an investigation into over 800 books in Texas school libraries that were considered to be pornographic. Hopefully, school districts will adopt this model policy which gives the school board final approval of library books and allows the parents to review books and ask for their removal if deemed inappropriate.

Texas Values Sends out Press Release Opposing Round Rock ISD Allowing Boy in Female Locker Rooms

Yesterday, Texas Values sent out a press release opposing Round Rock ISD (RRISD) allowing a male high school student to use a female locker room without the school district notifying parents it was happening. Late last year, an RRISD female high school senior, experienced trauma and unfair treatment when a male high school junior walked in on her locker room while she was undressing to change her gym clothes. The school district failed to give parents or students advance notice of the fact that they had approved a male student to use the girls' locker room, as the student appears to claim he "identifies" as a female. In response, the girl’s parents filed a safety grievance with RRISD, asking for a clear policy regarding who has access to sex-specific spaces on school district campuses. Texas Values recently filed a Public Information Act request with the school district on this issue. After staff-level meetings failed to establish any clear policy or adequate solution, her parents requested an in-person hearing from RRISD. Texas Values president and attorney Jonathan Saenz has been retained to represent the parents in this matter. So far, the school district has not acknowledged a policy in place allowing males to be in female locker rooms or restrooms, and has failed to schedule a public hearing for the parents.

Save the Date! Texas Values to Host a 9 Month Celebration of Texas Heartbeat Law on June 1

Mark your calendars!  On June 1, Texas Values will host a symposium titled, “Our Pro-Life Moment: 9 Month Celebration of the Texas Heartbeat Law, Dobbs Supreme Court Case, & A Vision for a Post-Roe America.”  Join us in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for this event.  The event will also be livestreamed for those who are not able to join in person.  More details coming soon.