Hello, True Texans!
The Texas State Board of Education will be meeting next week, April 7 – 10, regarding key issues that need attention. The most important part of the agenda is happening on Tuesday, April 7th, where they will take testimony in public hearing on new TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills) for Social Studies Curriculum. We’ve learned that Muslims are organizing people to attend and testify that Islam should be included. We need as many people as possible to show up to counter their testimony.
THANKS TO A GENEROUS DONATION FROM PATRIOT MOBILE, TRUE TEXAS PROJECT WILL SPONSOR A BUS ON APRIL 7TH TO ATTEND THE HEARING
There are 3 issues before the board this week that need comment from the public. Two of them happen on April 7th, starting at 8:00 am and one on April 8th, starting at 9:00 am. Within the April 7th agenda, are three opportunities to defeat Islamic influence.
Tuesday April 7 – Agenda Item #3: A public hearing where testimony will be presented regarding proposed new Social Studies TEKS, bringing into consideration several new issues as a result of HB27, and HB824, and SB24. At a special meeting of the SBOE in Feb, several Muslim groups spoke on this issue, lobbying for Islamic issues to be included in social studies TEKS. We need people to testify at this public hearing (where decisions will be made) to keep Islam, and sharia out of the public school TEKS, and focus on traditional, America first principles. There are 3 areas of focus for this testimony.
- First – Just general testimony on the importance of history lessons being focused on actual facts, dates and happenings, and not include woke revisionist history. Testimony should emphasize that Islam and sharia should not be included in the social studies curriculum, since Islam had nothing to do with the founding or history of the United States.
- Second – HB24 (89R) included a government component of the social studies curriculum. HB824 requires additional instruction in civics, role of government officials, voting process, running for office, and Roberts Rules of Order. Witnesses might use this opportunity to emphasize that sharia law components must never be incorporated into the role of government since it is in conflict with both the US and Texas Constitutions.
- Third – SB24 (89R) included instructions to the SBOE to develop students’ understanding of communist regimes and ideologies that provide age and developmentally appropriate instruction and information on the topic. This section is a chance to remind board members that Islam is a communist based ideology, and that students should learn (at appropriate levels) the harms of Islamic/communist regimes imposed on their citizens.
Tuesday April 7th – Agenda Item #1: This is a proposed change to the TEKS for language arts and reading – specifically literary works lists for all grades K-12. These changes are a result of HB 1605, passed in the 88th Regular session. The board will consider this Agenda item for first reading and filing authorization. (the first step in the SBOE process). We would like for people to encourage the board to include founding documents, the Bible, and other patriotic documents and writings in the literary works list, and to specifically exclude Islamic texts.
Wednesday April 8th – Agenda Item #4: Per SB204 (89R), ISD Trustees are required to participate in training on the rights of a parent regarding education of their child. The SBOE is tasked with writing the program for this training. The board will consider and approve the parental rights training that has been proposed by the Committee and the TEA.
The primary thing to stress in this section is that the training should be a 5-hour course, as recommended by the bill’s author, Senator Angela Paxton. At the January meeting of the SBOE, some members claimed that the training should be 1 or 3 hours, not 5. You can see the entire program at this link. Scroll to the agenda for Wednesday April 8th, then find Item #4, click on the blue “board agenda” link, then scroll to the training.
ACTION ITEMS
- Attend either Tuesday or Wednesday or both, and testify on the items listed above. You can register online starting at 8:00 am on Tuesday 3/31, continuing through 5:00 pm on Friday 4/3. You can also register on site up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting, subject to the approval of the chair. (We suggest you sign up in advance on line!) Please click here for the link to sign up and for instructions on testimony. Read the instructions carefully! It’s a little more complicated than testimony at House or Senate hearings.
- If you cannot attend – this same sign up link can be used to send testimony electronically.
- Whether you attend or not, contact your SBOE member to let them know your opinions on the agenda items 1 and 3 for Tuesday and agenda item 4 on Wednesday. Click here to find SBOE members and their contact information.
Complete SBOE Agenda with details can be found here.
BUS INFORMATION:
True Texas Project, with the help of Patriot Mobile, is happy to sponsor a bus to the Capitol on Tuesday April 7th for citizens who wish to testify or be present for the SBOE meeting. The bus will depart from First Baptist Church Grapevine, 301 East Texas Street, Grapevine at 5:00 am on Tuesday April 7. The bus will return to Grapevine Tuesday evening, approximately 10:00 pm. The bus is free, but you MUST MAKE A RESERVATION.
Click here to reserve your spot on the Grapevine bus
The Denton County GOP is also sponsoring a bus departing from the Denton County Administrative Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Dr, Denton, TX 76208 at 3:30 am on Tuesday April 7. Estimated return time is 10:00 pm
Click here to reserve your spot on the Denton Bus
Please go to the SBOE meeting if you are able, and if not, use the on-line testimony link to make comments remotely. Also be sure to contact YOUR SBOE member and let them know your position. This is a critical issue, and perfect opportunity to make it clear that we do not want Islamic teachings in our Texas public schools.
If you have questions or need further information, just reply to this email. I’ll be at the hearing on Tuesday, but will not be on the bus since I’m staying over for another event that week. I hope to see many of you at the hearing!
Thanks for staying engaged!
Fran Rhodes, President
True Texas Project