Saving Texas History
What to know: Can the newly woke Texas State Historical Association be saved? The group’s executive director is taking the TSTA board to court. How Texas history will be taught is in the balance.
The TPPF take: J.P. Bryan, the executive director seeking to save the TSTA, just wants the group to obey its own bylaws.
“The bylaws say there should be a balance on the TSTA board between academics and non-academics,” says TPPF’s Roy Maynard. “That balance is particularly important in these postmodern times, when those tied to the Ivory Tower are happily deconstructing the history of Texas, of the Texas Revolution, and other key events and figures.”
For more on TSTA, click here.
Doesn’t Meet Standards
What to know: Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to veto a watered-down version of the parent empowerment bill, and warned that if lawmakers fail to pass real school choice, he will call a special session.
The TPPF take: Parents deserve to be the primary decision-makers in their own children’s educations.
“Parents across Texas overwhelmingly support school choice and they’re fired up,” says TPPF’s Mandy Drogin. “And the governor has laid down the gauntlet—we’re going to do this for millions of parents.”
For more on parent empowerment, watch this.
‘Smart’ Phones
What to know: Writing in the Financial Times, a mother “still wonders” if she was right to give her young girls smart phones, in light of the mental health crisis that being constantly online has led to.
The TPPF take: Texas can lead the way by helping to protect children online.
“Texas should be the national leader on the issue of child online safety by taking the bold step of prohibiting social media use by minors,” says TPPF’s Zach Whiting. “States place age restrictions on numerous behaviors, such as driving, voting, smoking, drinking, and entering into a valid contract, among other things. This proposal would recognize social media as a prohibited harm to minors.”
For more on protecting children, click here.