Trump wants to dismantle the Education Department. That could hurt students with disabilities in Texas.
| April 8, 2025
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In a state with a checkered history with federal special education law, advocates say Texas students will see an erosion of their disability rights protections. As the Trump administration pushes to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, advocates for students with disabilities worry that, without federal oversight, Texas will fail to provide adequate special education services to the children who need them.
Texas A&M can’t ban “Draggieland” drag show, federal judge rules
| March 24, 2025
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A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Texas A&M University System from enforcing a ban on drag shows being held at its special event venues. Judge Lee H. Rosenthal said the student group that organizes Draggieland, the Queer Empowerment Council, was likely to succeed in showing the ban violates the First Amendment.
Texas may change how schools select library books. Critics say it could lead to more bans.
| March 6, 2025
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Senate Bill 13 would create school library advisory councils largely made up of parents. It would give school boards, rather than librarians, the final say over new books.
Texas Legislature proposes $400 million cut to higher ed as Dan Patrick threatens university budgets over DEI
| February 27, 2025
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At a public event last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said higher ed would get less funding if they don’t “kick DEI out of their schools,” a few weeks after lawmakers proposed a massive cut to public universities.
A North Texas lawmaker wants to make book banning easier in schools
| December 4, 2024
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Rep. Jared Patterson’s House Bill 183 would allow parents to request that the Texas State Board of Education review materials in public school libraries, challenging a book to be removed if they believe it to be inappropriate for the grade level or if it has “sexually explicit material.”