The decision to strip chapters from books that had already won the approval of the state’s Republican-controlled board of education represents an escalation in how local school boards run by ideological conservatives influence what children learn.
Jeremy Schwartz
Jeremy Schwartz has been an investigative reporter in Texas for nearly a decade, covering issues including voting rights and border security for the Austin American-Statesman and USA Today Network. His work has resulted in the overhaul of Texas' inspection process for farmworker housing, sparked Congressional investigations of a failed Department of Veterans Affairs research program and uncovered misleading border arrest and drug seizure statistics maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Schwartz won the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' Latino Issues award for his 2017 investigation into the political underrepresentation of Latinos in Texas cities and counties, and the Headliners Foundation of Texas Reporter of the Year award, among other honors. He previously served as Cox Newspapers' Latin America correspondent in Mexico City from 2005 to 2009, and before that, he covered the U.S. Border Patrol and immigration at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. He is based in Austin.
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Investigations
Texas conservatives are using school board elections to exert influence over what students learn
In six Texas districts that used at-large voting systems, ideologically driven groups successfully helped elect school board members who have moved aggressively to ban or remove educational materials that teach children about diversity.
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Graphics and data reporting
In Texas’ biggest purple county, this far-right Republican is creating a playbook for local governing
From cutting social services to changing election rules, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare has pushed his agenda with an uncompromising approach.
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Investigations
After decades of lobbying by Christian conservative donors, school voucher legislation may finally have the votes
Gov. Greg Abbott succeeded in his campaign against Republicans who defied him on school vouchers. Now he may finally get the votes he needs to pass a bill.
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Investigations
Help ProPublica and The Texas Tribune report on your community’s school board and bond elections
We want to hear about how heated elections affect the people learning, teaching and living in districts across Texas.
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Investigations
A GOP Texas school board member campaigned against schools indoctrinating kids. Then she read the curriculum.
Courtney Gore, a Granbury ISD school board member, has disavowed the far-right platform she campaigned on. Her defiance has brought her backlash.
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Investigations
Former far-right hard-liner says pro-voucher billionaires are using school board races to sow distrust in public education
The largesse from billionaires Tim Dunn and brothers Farris and Dan Wilks has made its way into local politics. Courtney Gore, a Republican school board member in Granbury, says it’s part of their strategy to build support for vouchers.
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Investigations
Texas school districts violated a law intended to add transparency to local elections
The Texas Tribune and ProPublica analyzed 35 Texas school districts that held trustee elections last fall and found none that posted all of the required campaign finance records.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Dark money nonprofit with ties to Texas billionaire works to defeat Midland school bond
Tim Dunn’s public policy groups have helped ensure that tax hike language is attached to every school bond ballot measure in the state. Now he is using that language to cast doubt on a bond in his hometown of Midland.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Book bans in Texas spread as new state law takes effect
As Texas enters its third straight school year of coordinated book banning activity, a growing number of districts are targeting library books. Caught in the dragnet: books featuring a “naked” crayon and one with a cartoon butt.