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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to civics instruction public school students and |
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instruction policies 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-1), (h-2), and (h-3) to read as follows: |
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(h-1) 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, as well as the history, qualities, traditions, and |
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features of civic engagement in the United States; |
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(2) 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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(3) the founding documents of the United States, |
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including the Declaration of Independence, the United States |
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Constitution, the Federalist Papers (including but not limited to |
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Essays 10 and 51), excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy |
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in America, the first Lincoln-Douglas debate, and the writings of |
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the Founding Fathers of the United States. |
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(h-2) In the instruction of the essential knowledge and |
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skills for the social studies curriculum, in applicable courses of |
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Texas, United States, and world history, government, civics, social |
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studies, or similar subject areas: |
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(1) no teacher shall be compelled by a policy of any |
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state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter |
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school, or school administration to discuss current events or |
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widely debated and currently controversial issues of public policy |
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or social affairs; |
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(2) teachers who choose to discuss current events or |
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widely debated and currently controversial issues of public policy |
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or social affairs shall, to the best of their ability, strive to |
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explore such issues from diverse and contending perspectives |
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without giving deference to any one perspective; |
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(3) no school district or teacher shall require, make |
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part of a course, or award course grading or credit including extra |
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credit for, student work for, affiliation with, or service learning |
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in association with any organization engaged in lobbying for |
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legislation at the local, state or federal level, or in social or |
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public policy advocacy; and |
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(4) no school district or teacher shall require, make |
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part of a course, or award course grading or credit including extra |
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credit for, political activism, lobbying, or efforts to persuade |
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members of the legislative or executive branch to take specific |
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actions by direct communication at the local, state or federal |
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level, or any practicum or like activity involving social or public |
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policy advocacy. |
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(5) No teacher, administrator, or other employee in |
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any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter |
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school, or school administration shall be required to engage in |
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training, orientation, or therapy that presents any form of race or |
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sex stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex. |
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(6) No teacher, administrator, or other employee in |
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any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter |
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school, or school administration shall shall require, or make part |
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of a course the following concepts: (1) one race or sex is |
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inherently superior to another race or sex; (2) an individual, by |
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virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or |
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oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; (3) an |
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individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse |
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treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex; (4) |
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members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat |
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others without respect to race or sex; (5) an individual's moral |
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character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex; (6) |
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an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears |
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responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members |
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of the same race or sex; (7) any individual should feel discomfort, |
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guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on |
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account of his or her race or sex; or (8) meritocracy or traits such |
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as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a |
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members of a particular race to oppress members of another race. |
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(h-3) No private funding shall be accepted by state |
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agencies, school district, campuses, open-enrollment charter |
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schools, or school administrations for the purposes of curriculum |
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development, purchase or choice of curricular materials, teacher |
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training, or professional development pertaining to courses on |
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Texas, United States, and world history, government, civics, social |
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studies, or similar subject areas. |
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SECTION 2 This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |