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Katy ISD Students File a Federal Complaint Against New ‘Gender Policy’

A student-led group called Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) is fighting back against Katy ISD’s new anti-trans policy. On Monday, Nov. 13, SEAT filed a formal discrimination complaint with the US Department of Education, citing Title IX violations and decrying the adverse effects of the policy on trans students....

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Statement on Election Lawsuits, Impact on Proposition 9

Texas A-F-T logo

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dec. 4, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org   This past week, it was reported that at least six lawsuits have been filed challenging the results of November’s constitutional amendment election. Texas AFT President Zeph Capo commented on these baseless accusations, made by known election deniers and conspiracy theorists, which threaten...

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Dec. 1, 2023: Thankful for the 84

Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 Teaching the truth On Monday, Nov. 27, Texas State University officially dedicated the Shirley R. Harris Student Lounge, honoring a civil rights trailblazer and 40-year San Antonio educator.  Shirley Harris was the first Black graduate from the university (then known as Southwest Texas State College), earning...

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4th Special Session Winding Down

Image reads: News from the special 88th legislative session

The fourth special session has been an exercise in persistence. This special session started slowly, but, over the course of several weeks, picked up pace and then reached a climax on Friday, Nov. 17, a milestone for nearly a year’s worth of advocacy against vouchers. Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) crafted...

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Social Security Fairness Act Gains 60 Co-Sponsors 

The Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal two federal provisions that cut public employees’ Social Security benefits, has reached a new milestone with 60 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the bill’s author, announced this week.  “Social Security is a bedrock of our middle class,” Brown...

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Call to Action: Submit Comments on Rule That Would Close Firearms Loopholes

The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) took a significant step forward in the fight against gun violence last week. Acting on President Joe Biden's executive order, the agencies introduced a crucial new proposed rule to expand background checks on firearms purchases.  This...

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SBEC Preview: Educator Preparation and Assessment Changes

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) will meet in Austin next week on Dec. 7-8. This will be a highly consequential meeting as the board will be taking up major changes to both how educators are trained and certified in Texas.  SBEC has rulemaking authority over how educators are...

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Important PSLF Deadline Approaching Dec. 31

What is PSLF? The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program is a way for student loan borrowers who are employed in the public service field — including public education — to have their student loans forgiven. To qualify for this, “borrowers must make 120 payments on Direct Loans while working...

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Nov. 17, 2023: We won’t take the bait

Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 Houston ISD parents, educators, and community members speak to the press at the Texas Capitol after their testimony at the State Board of Education. Is this parental empowerment? Vouchers are dead in Texas. Again. (More on that in a second.) While their proponents claim vouchers are...

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Voucher Are Dead in the 4th Special Session

Image reads: News from the special 88th legislative session

Despite the addition of popular policy “carrots” to HB 1 and enormous pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott, we stopped vouchers in their tracks yet again today (Friday, Nov. 17). This victory was won on an 84-63 bipartisan vote in support of an amendment by state Rep. John Raney (R-College Station),...

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SBOE Recap: Instructional Materials Work Continues Apace

Image reads: Eyes on the Board

Science Textbooks  The State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting began this week with the adoption of science instructional materials. There was a steady drumbeat of proposed textbooks removed from the recommended list. Some were removed for valid reasons like lack of standards coverage, but far more were removed because they...

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