Happy Wednesday!

I’m headed back to Dallas from Houston this afternoon after spending last night at our Courier Texas “On the Ballot” event, where we were joined by independent journalist Don Lemon, Democratic nominee for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa, Democratic nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner Jon Rosenthal, and Harris County Democratic Party Chair Traci Gibson. 

While the discussion focused on affordability, voter turnout, artificial intelligence, ICE, and government corruption, public education also took center stage. You’ll find more on that below. 

We’ll also take a look at how you can celebrate reading with Banned Books Week, where you can make your plan to vote if you’re a University of Texas at Arlington student who was impacted by Tarrant County’s recent polling location cuts, and more courses are getting cut at the University of Texas.

Don’t miss out on last week’s edition, read it here. 

Democratic nominee for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa slammed Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to turn 100 schools into AI-focused “Future 2” campuses, calling the program “dystopian” and a “plan to experiment on our children with AI during a press conference in Houston on Tuesday.

“If we have a generation of kids being taught by AI instead of teachers, we will raise a generation of sociopaths instead of productive citizens,” Hinojosa said. “That’s where we are headed right now. It’s a future that none of us want. It’s a future that’s about maximizing profits.”

Two “Future 2” AI campuses already exist in Houston ISD, which was taken over by the state in 2023, and seven more are slated to open. The campuses focus on traditional core subjects in the morning and then transition in the afternoon to AI-driven classes, and are meant to “blend traditional core academics with artificial intelligence training and human-centered skill development.” Houston ISD’s nine AI campuses are costing taxpayers $4.5 million.

“Please understand the motivation: Greg Abbott has received millions of dollars from MacKenzie Price, who owns and operates AI schools,” she said. “These are schools where teachers are replaced by education guides, where kids spend hours in front of screens, and that is their education. This is a model that threatens our public school kids across this state.”

Houston ISD parents and educators also joined Hinojosa to voice their own concerns and skepticism. 

“The curriculum in the majority of HISD schools is AI slop. There are incorrect choices on math worksheets, misspelled words on maps, and inaccurate history depictions in social studies,” said HISD parent Marcie Nuñez Jones. “AI curriculum in HISD makes our teachers’ jobs harder just as we’re facing a shortage.”

Following her press conference, Hinojosa headed over to POST Houston for our “On the Ballot” event where she discussed the state’s public education crisis, Abbott facing the repercussions of passing private school vouchers, and how mothers from both sides of the political aisle are rallying behind her education platform. 

She also shared a promise that’s been consistent throughout her campaign: That on day one she would fire Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

Watch the full event here, and hear what Hinojosa had to say about her education policy below:

If you’re a TexEd reader, you know Texas has become a leader in book censorship and material challenges in public schools and libraries. 

But libraries, book stores, and literacy organizations across Texas are continuing to fight back, and they’re ready to celebrate Banned Books Week from Oct. 4-10. 

The week was established by a coalition of nonprofits and celebrates the “freedom to read” in the face of increasing censorship. This year’s theme is “Let Books Be—Protect the Freedom to Read,” and several events will take place across Texas. 

In Dallas, a Banned Books Panel at the Dallas Flagship Half Price Books will take place tonight at 7 p.m. In Houston, Social Beer Garden HTX is hosting an adult book fair on Oct. 9 from 6-10 p.m.

In (dis)honor of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s list of books he thinks should be banned in public school libraries, this month’s banned book is “Night” by Elie Wiesel. 

While not yet banned in Texas public schools, the memoir made headlines after Patrick claimed it should be banned. The Holocaust autobiography by Auschwitz survivor Elie Wiesel details his survival, along with his father’s suffering, in the Nazi death camps. Here’s a new batch of questions to consider as you make your way through the book:

1. How does Eliezer’s relationship with God evolve/differ from the relationship he had with God at the beginning of the memoir?

2. How does the camp system encourage people to become concerned primarily with their own survival?

3. What ways does the death march affect Eliezer and his father both physically and emotionally?

From now through Sept. 30, we are running our Supporter Drive and we need your help to ensure we can continue to report the local stories that matter most to Texans. 

You can join us by donating to our newsroom today! Any amount helps, and every dollar counts towards our goal.

You can also help by following Courier Texas on social media if you aren’t already: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Or, share this newsletter with your friends and family. Let them know why supporting local journalism is so important in Texas.

Thank you again for being part of the Courier Texas community!