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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the social studies curriculum in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (h-2), (h-3), and (h-4) to read as follows: |
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(h-2) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the |
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social studies curriculum, the State Board of Education shall adopt |
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essential knowledge and skills that develop each student's civic |
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knowledge, including an understanding of: |
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(1) the fundamental moral, political, and |
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intellectual foundations of the American experiment in |
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self-government; |
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(2) the history, qualities, traditions, and features |
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of civic engagement in the United States; |
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(3) the structure, function, and processes of |
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government institutions at the federal, state, and local levels; |
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and |
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(4) the founding documents of the United States, |
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including: |
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(A) the Declaration of Independence; |
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(B) the United States Constitution; |
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(C) the Federalist Papers, including Essays 10 |
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and 51; |
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(D) excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville's |
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Democracy in America; |
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(E) the transcript of the first Lincoln-Douglas |
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debate; and |
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(F) the writings of the founding fathers of the |
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United States. |
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(h-3) For courses in the social studies curriculum in Texas |
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history, United States history, world history, government, civics, |
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social studies, or other similar subjects: |
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(1) a teacher may not be compelled to discuss current |
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events or widely debated and currently controversial issues of |
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public policy or social affairs; |
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(2) a teacher who chooses to discuss topics described |
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by Subdivision (1) shall, to the best of the teacher's ability, |
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strive to explore those topics from diverse and contending |
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perspectives without giving deference to any one perspective; |
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(3) a school district, open-enrollment charter |
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school, or teacher may not require, make part of a course, or award |
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a grade or course credit, including extra credit, for a student's: |
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(A) work for, affiliation with, or service |
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learning in association with any organization engaged in: |
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(i) lobbying for legislation at the |
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federal, state, or local level; or |
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(ii) social or public policy advocacy; |
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(B) political activism, lobbying, or efforts to |
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persuade members of the legislative or executive branch at the |
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federal, state, or local level to take specific actions by direct |
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communication; or |
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(C) participation in any practicum or similar |
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activity involving social or public policy advocacy; and |
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(4) a teacher, administrator, or other employee of a |
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state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school |
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may not: |
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(A) be required to engage in training, |
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orientation, or therapy that presents any form of race or sex |
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stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex; and |
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(B) require or make part of a course the concept |
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that: |
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(i) one race or sex is inherently superior |
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to another race or sex; |
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(ii) an individual, by virtue of the |
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individual's race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or |
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oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; |
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(iii) an individual should be discriminated |
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against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of |
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the individual's race or sex; |
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(iv) members of one race or sex cannot and |
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should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex; |
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(v) an individual's moral character is |
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necessarily determined by the individual's race or sex; |
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(vi) an individual, by virtue of the |
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individual's race or sex, bears responsibility for actions |
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committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex; |
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(vii) an individual should feel discomfort, |
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guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on |
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account of the individual's race or sex; or |
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(viii) meritocracy or traits such as a hard |
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work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a |
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particular race to oppress members of another race. |
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(h-4) A state agency, school district, or open-enrollment |
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charter school may not accept private funding for the purpose of |
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developing a curriculum, purchasing or selecting curriculum |
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materials, or providing teacher training or professional |
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development for a course described by Subsection (h-3). |
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SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
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this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 school |
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year. |
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(b) Section 28.002(h-2), Education Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than December 31, 2022, the State Board |
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of Education shall review and revise, as needed, the essential |
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knowledge and skills of the social studies curriculum as required |
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by Section 28.002(h-2), Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |