88R7505 ANG-D

By: Talarico H.B. No. 4252

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain public school instructional requirements and prohibitions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 28.0022(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) For any course or subject, including an innovative course, for a grade level from kindergarten through grade 12:

(1) a teacher may not be compelled to discuss a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs;

(2) a teacher who chooses to discuss a topic described by Subdivision (1) shall explore that topic objectively and in a manner free from political bias;

(3) a school district, open-enrollment charter school, or teacher may not require, make part of a course, or award a grade or course credit, including extra credit, for a student's:

(A) work for, affiliation with, or service learning in association with any organization engaged in:

(i) lobbying for legislation at the federal, state, or local level, if the student's duties involve directly or indirectly attempting to influence social or public policy or the outcome of legislation; or

(ii) social policy advocacy or public policy advocacy;

(B) political activism, lobbying, or efforts to persuade members of the legislative or executive branch at the federal, state, or local level to take specific actions by direct communication; or

(C) participation in any internship, practicum, or similar activity involving social policy advocacy or public policy advocacy; and

(4) a teacher, administrator, or other employee of a state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school may not:

(A) require or make part of a course inculcation in the concept that:

(i) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;

(ii) an individual, by virtue of the individual's race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;

(iii) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual's race or sex;

(iv) an individual's moral character, standing, or worth is necessarily determined by the individual's race or sex;

(v) an individual, by virtue of the individual's race or sex, bears responsibility, blame, or guilt for actions committed by other members of the same race or sex;

(vi) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race;

(vii) the advent of slavery in the territory that is now the United States constituted the true founding of the United States; or

(viii) with respect to their relationship to American values, slavery and racism are anything other than deviations from, betrayals of, or failures to live up to the authentic founding principles of the United States, which include liberty and equality;

(B) teach, instruct, or train any administrator, teacher, or staff member of a state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school to adopt a concept listed under Paragraph (A); [or]

(C) require an understanding of the 1619 Project; or

(D) require or make part of a course teaching regarding white supremacist ideologies, including the great replacement theory, unless those ideologies are discussed in the appropriate historical and sociological context.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.