Public schools in Texas are reopening this month as parents, students and educators balance learning losses from virtual classes during the pandemic with an alarming rise in COVID-19 and a large number of unvaccinated students.
Demographics
Explore population trends, diversity, and data shaping Texas communities, politics, and policy.
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Graphics and data reporting
Texas teachers say GOP’s new social studies law will hinder how an entire generation understands race, history and current events
Educators who spoke to The Texas Tribune overwhelmingly denounced the new social studies law going into effect Sept. 1. These are the provisions they say could cause problems for them — and Texas students.
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Coronavirus in Texas
COVID-19 is spreading fast among Texas’ unvaccinated. Here’s who they are and where they live.
There are two main groups within Texas’ unvaccinated population: white conservatives in rural areas, and Hispanic and Black people in big cities.
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Demographics
UT System board votes to accept invitation for UT-Austin to join the SEC
The decision comes just a week after news surfaced that the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma planned to leave the Big 12, sending shockwaves through college sports and many Texas lawmakers who feel the expansion will have drastic consequences on the remaining Texas schools in the Big 12.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Martin Luther King Jr.’s son says Texas Republicans are misrepresenting his father’s words in effort to whitewash history
Republican Texas lawmakers have justified their efforts to limit how racism and current events are taught in school by saying that critical race theory judges people by the color of their skin. Martin Luther King III and experts disagree.
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Demographics
Federal judge tosses lawsuit that sought to end UT-Austin’s affirmative action policy
The judge found that the group behind the suit had essentially brought the same claims in a previous case in which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the University of Texas at Austin’s policy.
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Demographics
UT hired consultant for up to $1.1 million to revamp battered image of “Eyes of Texas” song
The consultant, Brad Deutser, is listed as a member of the committee tasked with chronicling the full history of “The Eyes.” But some students who spoke with him said they felt he was trying to convince them to accept the school’s position on the song.
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The 2021 Texas Tribune Festival
T-Squared: What you can expect at this year’s Texas Tribune Festival
Nearly 150 speakers (including 20 more biggies revealed today) across more than 50 sessions. Four days of virtual programs. Two jampacked days of in-person programs. Everything streamed. Everything on demand. Are you as excited as we are?
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate bill seeks to strip required lessons on people of color and women from “critical race theory” law
The bill would also remove a requirement to teach that white supremacy is “morally wrong.” One Democratic lawmaker said the bill’s attempts could lead to a “frightening dystopian future.”
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Texas Legislature 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott includes voting restrictions, critical race theory and rules for transgender student athletes on special legislative session agenda
Abbott also put border security and restoring funding to the Legislative branch — which he vetoed last month — on the special session agenda.