Patty Young, a middle school language arts teacher, says the state assessments are causing kids unnecessary stress. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast.
Topics
Posted in
Immigration
Biden administration spending $60 million per week to shelter unaccompanied minors
The government projects that by September, about 22,000 to 26,000 unaccompanied minors will arrive at the border each month and require federal care.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
ERCOT to argue it is immune from winter storm lawsuits
Nearly two dozen lawsuits allege that failures by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the operator of the state’s main power grid, led to the wrongful death of a family member.
Posted in
Courts
Texas Supreme Court voids orders that jailed Dallas salon owner for disregarding COVID-19 precautions
Dallas County issued Shelley Luther a temporary restraining order to close her business. But the Texas Supreme Court said the order was too vague.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Republicans say their proposed voting restrictions are color blind. But many see “Jim Crow in a tuxedo.”
An outraged Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick castigated those implying that GOP efforts to restrict Texas voting are racist. But the state has a history of marginalizing voters of color, and many business leaders, voting rights advocates and Democrats see it taking another step down that path.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Trying to make sense of how Texas ranks on coronavirus vaccinations? Here’s a look behind the numbers.
Texas is beating the national rate in terms of seniors fully vaccinated, but unique challenges make it harder to move up in the rankings in other areas, officials and experts say.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
At least 1 dead after multiple people shot in Bryan, Texas
The shootings began at Kent Moore Cabinets, and one Texas Department of Public Safety trooper who was later shot is in serious, but stable condition. The shooting occurred the same day that President Joe Biden released a list of executive orders to address gun violence.
Posted in
Higher Education
M. Katherine Banks, Texas A&M’s incoming president, says she’s planning for a campus in “normal mode” this fall
Banks, the dean of the engineering school, will take over as the university deals with challenges related to the pandemic and a push to improve diversity initiatives after last summer’s protests
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: A $5.5 billion shift in who pays for public education in Texas
It’s an old and bittersweet story in Texas: Property values rise, local property tax revenue rises and the state government spends less on public education.
Posted in
Politics
Advocates back Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for greater oversight at migrant shelters. But they question his timing and motivations.
Abbott largely remained silent despite reports of widespread abuse in migrant shelters during former President Donald Trump’s administration.