Texas DEI ban in public schools gets House approval
Senate Bill 12, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, would prohibit school districts from considering race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation in hiring decisions. Training and programs on these topics will also be banned unless required by federal law.
Parents will have to give written consent to allow their children to join school clubs. They will also be able to file complaints if they believe schools do not follow the DEI ban.
The House advanced the bill in an 85-48 vote shortly after midnight Sunday. The Texas Senate voted in favor of the bill in February. Before the bill can go to the governor's desk, the House will have to take one more vote and the Senate will have to agree to changes the House made to the bill or members from both chambers will have to iron out differences behind closed doors.
Rep. Jeff Leach, the bill's sponsor, cast the bill as giving parents more control over their children's curriculum, school materials and safety. He also highlighted that the bill builds on the 2021 ban of teaching critical race theory in Texas, a study that explores how race and racism influence laws and institutions.
'The legislation further upholds parental authority by giving them the ability to opt their child in or out of specific programs, such as the requirement in this bill that a parent must opt in to a child's sex education curriculum, and this is so that parents can make informed choices that align with their family's values,' Leach said.
Supporters of the bill claim that DEI initiatives divert both class time and public funds toward promoting certain ideologies in schools.
'It's clear these programs are already in our schools using millions of taxpayer dollars meant for the classroom to fund political activism and political agendas,' Creighton said during a public hearing in January.
Opponents argue that banning these initiatives would disproportionately harm marginalized students, especially those who are LGBTQ+. They say it would take away safe spaces where students can find community and support, potentially leading to increased levels of depression and anxiety.
'Without DEI, you're going to see more students who might think that they are alone,' Ash Hall, a policy and advocacy strategist for LGBTQIA+ rights at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, told The Texas Tribune.
The broad and vague language of the bill also creates a high risk of overapplication and could lead schools to censor themselves out of fear of violating unclear rules, critics worry.
During the discussion late Saturday, the House also approved an amendment introduced by Leach . The amendment clarifies that if a school employee is terminated for violating the DEI ban, they have the right to appeal. It also states that schools can recruit candidates from a specific ethnic group to increase diversity in their hiring pool, and it will not be considered a violation.
When SB 12 was first introduced, it included a broader definition of DEI practices and threatened to withhold state funding from schools that didn't comply. These concerns were later addressed, and the bill was revised to remove the risk of defunding school districts.
The latest version requires schools to provide an explanation if a parent files a complaint about a potential DEI ban violation. If the parent is not satisfied with the response, they can appeal to the Texas Education Commissioner, who must assign an examiner and hold a hearing to review the complaint.
School districts also must adopt a policy to discipline or even terminate employees who knowingly take part in DEI activities.
If passed, the bill will take effect Sept. 1.
First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Trump admin rescinds Carter‑era DEI mandates for federal hiring
The Trump administration said Friday it will end a court-imposed decree initiated by the Carter administration that eliminated a test for federal job applicants and imposed diversity hiring requirements for federal agencies. Why it matters: The move follows the administration's dramatic change to the government's interpretation of Civil Rights-era laws to focus on " anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color. Driving the news: The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said it will eliminate a decree from Luevano v. Ezell, a case brought on by Black and Hispanic job applicants alleging discrimination. The DOJ said that the decree "limited the hiring practices of the federal government based on flawed and outdated theories of diversity, equity, and inclusion." It said the decree entered in 1981 "imposed draconian test review and implementation procedures" on the Office of Personnel Management. What they're saying:"For over four decades, this decree has hampered the federal government from hiring the top talent of our nation," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement. "Today, the Justice Department removed that barrier and reopened federal employment opportunities based on merit—not race." U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro used the quote "by the content of their character" from the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a statement to justify the move. Reality check: The Luevano case sought to remedy decades of discrimination against Black and Hispanic job applicants who had been denied employment based on their racial background. The case ultimately settled in a 1981 consent decree, under which the federal government agreed to eliminate a test and establish two special hiring programs, Outstanding Scholar and Bilingual/Bicultural. The decree was in place for 45 years. Zoom out: The DOJ move comes days after it released new guidelines for recipients of federal funding and directed them not to be involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI") programs. The guidelines say that federal anti-discrimination laws apply to DEI programs and initiatives since they involve "discriminatory practices." The guidelines could have sweeping effects, possibly forcing universities to end ethnic studies programs, media companies to stop paying for staffers to attend journalists of color conferences or nonprofits to cease programs studying health disparities. Context: Since taking office, Trump has attempted to reverse many of the gains made during the Civil Rights Movement and unravel the late President Lyndon B. Johnson's civil rights legacy from six decades ago. Within hours of taking office, Trump revoked LBJ's 1965 executive order mandating "equal opportunity" for people of color and women in the recruitment, hiring and training of federal contractors. Between the lines: The moves fulfill a promise that Trump campaign allies told Axios about before the election: that the president would push to eliminate or upend programs in government and corporate America that are designed to counter racism against Black Americans and other people of color.
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
Scoop: Dems are trying to stop a "nasty" internal battle in Texas
Texas' mid-decade redistricting has left members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus scrambling to fend off what some predict would be one of the most brutal battles in the group's history, Axios has learned. Why it matters: A new map would put the group's chair, Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), and one of its longest-serving members, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), in the same district. Lawmakers fear it would be a bloodbath if they both run. "It'll be a nasty race, probably," said one House Democrat, who, like others quoted in this story, is a Progressive Caucus member who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts about the group's sensitive internal dynamics. The race would be yet another front in Democrats' bitter civil war over age: Casar is 36 and seen as one of the party's rising stars, while Doggett is 78 and was first elected in 1994. "It's a mess," said a senior House Democrat, who told Axios that lawmakers are "carefully" nudging Doggett to bow out. State of play: Texas Republicans have embarked on a rare mid-decade redrawing of their state's congressional maps at the urging of President Trump. Their aim is to pack the state's House Democrats into as few districts as possible to maximize the number of Republican seats in the state. Under the proposed map, five new seats that are either solidly or lean Republican would be squeezed out, leaving Casar and Doggett to fight for just one Austin-based seat. What we're hearing: Several lawmakers noted Doggett was the first House Democrat to call on President Biden to withdraw his bid for reelection last year over concerns about his age and fitness. "This will be an opportunity for Lloyd to kind of take his own advice," said the first House Democrat, who warned Doggett would "taint his legacy" by running and that Casar "will win." A third House Democrat told Axios: "He was one of the first people to call for President Biden to step aside for new leaders, and I think this may be one of those moments." A fourth said that "30 years is more than enough time" in Congress, and Doggett is "a terrific legislator, but so is Casar. And Casar is just getting started." Between the lines: "This is a perfect example of how long-serving members in our party are not willing to make room for the next generation of leaders," said the fourth House Democrat. "Others wish [Doggett would] step aside," the lawmaker added. "That would show leadership in a time when we desperately need it." The other side: "Promoting this type of division and infighting is exactly what Republicans want. Greg and I are both committed to working together to stop this outrageous gerrymandering," Doggett said in a statement. "While CD37, in which I had already filed for reelection, continues under the new map to contain two-thirds of my current constituents, my focus remains on protecting our democracy from Trump using redistricting to elect more Republicans." "I hope all my CPC colleagues will also make that effort their top priority. As to President Joe Biden, I did speak out when others were silent, not about his age, but his ability and electability." Zoom out: Democrats have vowed to fight the proposed map, including potentially with a lawsuit and by breaking quorum in the state Legislature, but those efforts would likely be long shots. Like Doggett, Casar has said his focus is on stopping the redistricting. His spokesperson did not provide comment on this story. "Congressman Doggett and I are united in fighting back against this illegal map," Casar said Wednesday on CNN. Zoom in: Doggett, in his own CNN appearance on Thursday, began making the case for his reelection. "We do need young leaders, but we don't need everyone in our team to play the same position," he told host Manu Raju. "Some are strong on social media. Some are strong in dealing with the details of these bills and how to fight back against the Trump administration." Flashback: Republicans have twice before targeted Doggett, redrawing his district and forcing him to run in a different, majority Hispanic district. Each time, new constituents returned him to Washington. The bottom line: At the end of the day, "they both have the right to run," said the senior House Democrat, adding that the issue is "very sensitive."
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
House Republicans postpone Ghislaine Maxwell deposition
House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.) said Wednesday he will delay a deposition with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell until after the Supreme Court rules on her case. Why it matters: House Republicans are firmly ruling out Maxwell's request for congressional immunity in exchange for her testimony, which has put her and the committee at an impasse. In a letter to Maxwell, Comer wrote that he is "unwilling to grant you congressional immunity" or send Maxwell questions in advance. He said the committee will, however, wait until the Supreme Court has ruled on her request for an appeal of her sex trafficking conviction. State of play: Comer had initially planned to hold the deposition on Aug. 11 and had been working with the Bureau of Prisons to be able to have it at the Tallahassee prison where Maxwell was being housed. Now, the hearing isn't likely to occur until October at the earliest, with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear Maxwell's writ of certiorari on Sept. 29. Maxwell was moved from Tallahassee to a minimum security prison in Texas on Friday for undisclosed reasons.
