SBOE Member Site Link
Key Issues and Actions from SBOE Recent Meeting Week,
November 18-22, 2024
- School Board Trustee Training Policy Changes
- Last week SBOE took a strong stance against tax payer funded school board trustee training i.e. TASB (Texas Association of School Boards), particularly those promoting divisive ideologies or undermining parental rights.
- SBOE passed new regulations (Chapter 61 of the Texas Education Code) on school board trustee training requirements. With over 6,000 Texas School board trustees and 150 breakout sessions offered during their annual weekend conventions, TASB can no longer offer continuing education credits to school board trustees. TASB meets the definition of what is not allowed as “training” for school board trustees.
- The law is now strengthened to clarify what constitutes electioneering, which is defined as advocating for or against a specific candidate, political party, or policy. Training providers in Texas are now required to comply with all state laws. If a provider violates state law during their training, they could be removed from the approved list.
- Additionally, the state maintains a list of approved training providers.
- Who is responsible for enforcing these regulations which could result in an approved trainer removed from the SBOE list? While legal action is a possibility, the process typically involves filing a complaint and initiating a grievance procedure. Local grassroots organizations could play a role in raising awareness and encouraging trustees to file grievances. Ultimately, it will be up to conservative trustees to report any violations they observe while in the hands of TASB.
It is my opinion all Texas school districts should use this rubric when selecting public education school curriculum.
- Curriculum and Textbook Controversies
- The state of Texas now provides a more patriotic and traditional curriculum, emphasizing classic literature and historical figures using the Bible as a learning resource.
- House Bill 1605, (link provided) passed during the 88th Legislative session of Texas, established the SBOE as the “gate keeper” regarding curriculum in the state of Texas. The SBOE formed a suitability rubric which all curriculum must pass through. You can access and download the rubric with this link: https://tea.texas.gov/academics/instructional-materials/house-bill-1605/sboe-suitability-rubric-approved-2-2-24.pdf. It is my opinion all school districts should use this rubric when selecting school curriculum.
- The SBOE continues to develop high-quality, free curriculum materials (aka OER) to counterbalance ideological influences. Last week the focus was on K-5th curriculum. Promulgating a full set of TEA designed, SBOE approved K-12 curriculum will take years to develop.
- The OER (Online Educational Resource) now offered by TEA is free to school districts across Texas. In addition, the districts who choose to utilize it will receive $60 per child in state funding for implementation, which may include printing costs. For districts with budget constraints, this could be a serious game changer freeing up budgets for teacher salary increases and retention strategies.
- Separation of Church and State
- Concerns have been raised about the influence of certain ideologies on curriculum development and textbook selection. Specifically the separation of church and state. During the SBOE testimony last week, the Attorney Generals office of Texas gave 4 hours of testimony on the Constitutionality of this curriculum. It does not violation the Constitution of the United States and therefore lawsuits filed in Texas under the current AG will most likely fail.
- Based on false media narrative since the SBOE vote, actual facts should be widely repeated even amongst Republicans. The Constitution doesn’t explicitly mention the separation of church and state, but it does include the Establishment Clause. This clause prohibits the government from establishing a state religion or coercing individuals to practice a specific religion. While students can’t be compelled to pray or adopt a particular faith, religious concepts can be presented, discussed, and used as supplementary material, especially when they are relevant to historical or literary contexts related to the nation’s founding. The keyword to remember is coercion. Schools, teachers, counselors cannot coerce students to adopt a religion, practice religion, or pray.
The Constitution does NOT explicitly mention the separation of church and state, but it does include the Establishment Clause. This clause prohibits the government from establishing a state religion or coercing individuals to practice a specific religion.
- Political and Legal Landscape
- The Trump administration’s desire to close the Department of Education will have an impact at the state level rendering state policy and local board policy more powerful and crucially important during the next election cycles.
- Hence, the role of grassroots activism and parental involvement in shaping education policy has been emphasized in the upcoming Trump administration agenda.
- Non TASB legal strategies and advocacy efforts will be considered to protect parental rights and traditional values.
- Section 2 of the SBOE Suitability Rubric – Positive indicators of self governance, i.e. Patriotism
- During the last day of Board business, one last “Hail Mary” effort was made by Will Hickman (R), District 6 (Houston) to remove “Positive indicators of self governance and sexual risk avoidance” from much of Section 2 of the newly created Suitability Rubric. During which, the Chair Aaron Kinsey (R), District 15 (Midland) and former military immediately called the motion out of order and asked who in the TEA staff suggested this change. After Hickman’s “non answer” coupled with an appeal to the out of order motion (seconded by Evelyn Brooks (R), District 14 (Frisco)) debate ensued whether the “broad sweeping change” motion was a violation of the Open Meetings Act without a formal agenda item and foundational public notice for voters. Speculation about who and when the Board could be criminally charged for the potential TOMA violation was also debated, of which the TEA legal counsel offered no real solution in my judgement of the situation. Keep in mind, the TEA legal counsel represents the TEA and the SBOE, at the same time. Granted a hard spot most of the time. In the end, the vote took place on whether Hickman’s motion was out of order. Thankfully with a vote of this magnitude, LJ Francis (R), District 2 (Corpus) requested a Roll Call and the vote sustaining Chair Kinsey’s claim Hickman’s motion was out of order followed. From my viewing of the meeting video (which cannot be without possible mistakes given the limited hearing and camera views), this is what I observed. Abstentions: Perez, Bell-Metereau; No votes: Hickman, Brooks; Yes votes: Frances, Pickren, Ellis, Maynard. Not Present: Audrey Young (R) District 8 of Trinity and much of SD4 in Harris County plus chairs the very important Instructional Materials Committee left the room before the vote. I do not know why. And Staci Childs (D) District 4 of Houston, did not answer roll call. The out of order motion passed, crushing Will Hickman’s effort to thwart the foundational pillar, patriotism from the instructional materials suitability rubric.
- My take away is this. We’ve got a Republican majority on the SBOE, of which I am very thankful. However, in situations like these, we have so called Republicans trying their best to undo important progress “real” Republicans should be proud of. Why remove patriotism and CRT guardrails from English? From my personal public education experience inside Humble ISD, English Language Arts is oftentimes where you need to be on guard, not just Social Studies. If you agree and live in SBOE Districts 6 & 14, might I suggest you call or write Will Hickman and Evelyn Brooks yourself to fully understand their intentions on this critical vote. Luckily, we won this one! Patriotism in English stays, for now.
Harris County Republican Party Precinct 0459 - Audra Deaver 
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