Across the country, more books have been challenged and removed as religious and conservative groups target LGBTQ and race issues.
Brian Lopez
Brian Lopez was The Texas Tribune's public education reporter from 2021 until 2024. He covered how policy and politics affect Texas’ K-12 public education system and the nearly 5.5 million kids enrolled in public schools. Previously, he was the Tarrant County reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Brian is a New York native but moved to Texas after high school. He graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington.
Posted in
Politics
Politics and pandemic are driving Texas teachers to consider quitting, survey finds
An online survey of 1,291 teachers by the Charles Butt Foundation shows more teacher dissatisfaction as Texas school districts scramble to attract talent.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
“I’m scared that it might happen again”: Uvalde parents send their kids back to school
The Uvalde school district delayed this year’s start so it could continue improving security. But three months after the state’s deadliest school shooting, only one of eight campuses had an unscalable fence fully installed. Other security measures remain unfinished.
Posted in
Graphics and data reporting
High-poverty schools struggle to earn Texas’ highest rating. Some in the Rio Grande Valley break that trend.
The Texas Education Agency has dismissed the notion that the accountability ratings are a poverty rating. As evidence, they point to districts like those in the Rio Grande Valley, which have achieved high marks while serving a high number of economically disadvantaged students.
Posted in
Public Education
Conservative backlash pushes Texas social studies curriculum review to 2025
The board was initially supposed to update the social studies curriculum by the end of this year.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas education board moves to delay updates to social studies curriculum after conservative pushback
Opponents of the recommended changes, including Republican legislators, complained that they downplayed Texan and American exceptionalism and didn’t present opposing views on the gay rights movement.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
“We’re not done”: Uvalde residents say the fight for accountability won’t stop with Pete Arredondo’s firing
Some parents and community members are calling for more school district employees to be fired and for the state to raise the minimum age for buying an assault rifle.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Uvalde school board fires Chief Pete Arredondo over shooting response, after he calls vote a “public lynching”
Uvalde school officials have faced mounting pressure to fire Arredondo, who received much of the blame for the delay in confronting the shooter during the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary.
Posted in
Politics
A North Texas school district now lets teachers reject children’s pronouns — even if parents approve of them
The Grapevine-Colleyville district, between Dallas and Fort Worth, added two conservative members to its seven-member school board in May.
Posted in
Politics
Texas public schools required to display “In God We Trust” posters if they are donated
The law passed last year says schools must display the national motto in a “conspicuous place” but only if the poster is “donated” or “purchased by private donations.”