By: Barrientos S.B. No. 712 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the rights of teachers in public schools. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 13, Education Code, is 1-4 amended by adding Section 13.219 to read as follows: 1-5 Sec. 13.219. BILL OF RIGHTS FOR TEACHERS. (a) It is 1-6 declared to be the public policy of the State of Texas that 1-7 teachers, whose work is vital to the success of education, shall be 1-8 entitled to dignity and respect equal to the high standards of 1-9 service justly demanded of them. The State of Texas recognizes 1-10 that the children of the state deserve an education of the highest 1-11 quality, and it is declared to be the public policy of the State of 1-12 Texas that teachers shall be assisted in providing such an 1-13 education to children. The provisions of this section shall be 1-14 liberally construed in order to carry out the above declarations of 1-15 public policy. 1-16 (b) Teachers in Texas' public schools shall be: 1-17 (1) treated with dignity and respect in all aspects of 1-18 their professional lives; 1-19 (2) treated as an equal partner in the decision-making 1-20 processes involved in the instruction of children; 1-21 (3) guaranteed academic freedom in the study, 1-22 investigation, presentation, and interpretation of facts and ideas; 1-23 (4) freed from noninstructional paperwork; 2-1 (5) entitled to full administrative support in all 2-2 matters involving student discipline; 2-3 (6) entitled to clean, well-maintained working 2-4 facilities; 2-5 (7) provided all materials and supplies necessary for 2-6 instruction; 2-7 (8) guaranteed a work environment free of threats to 2-8 themselves and their property; 2-9 (9) guaranteed due process in all matters affecting 2-10 their employment; 2-11 (10) protected from public reprimand or public 2-12 disciplinary action; and 2-13 (11) paid a salary that will afford a family a 2-14 standard of living comparable to that of other professions. 2-15 SECTION 2. Section 13.218, Education Code, is repealed. 2-16 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-22 passage, and it is so enacted.