INSIDER
Four Texas House Republicans censured for campaigning against incumbents
Read full article: Four Texas House Republicans censured for campaigning against incumbentsThe censured members said they had been punished for campaigning against “liberal incumbents” alongside statewide elected officials like Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far right
Read full article: Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far rightPhelan’s primary has emerged as a last stand for the Republican Party’s business-minded establishment against an insurgency primarily motivated by social and cultural issues.
We ranked Texas House members along the ideological spectrum based on their 2023 votes
Read full article: We ranked Texas House members along the ideological spectrum based on their 2023 votesHere’s a look at House members, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on their votes cast during the 2023 regular session and four special sessions.
Conroe ISD board halts voting on removing ‘sexually explicit’ books in district libraries until November
Read full article: Conroe ISD board halts voting on removing ‘sexually explicit’ books in district libraries until NovemberParents of students who attend Conroe Independent School District anticipate the Board of Trustees to discuss the district’s policy on its removal policy of selected library books ahead of Tuesday night’s meeting.
Dan Patrick says PAC leader’s meeting with white supremacist was a “blunder,” but will keep group’s $3 million contribution
Read full article: Dan Patrick says PAC leader’s meeting with white supremacist was a “blunder,” but will keep group’s $3 million contributionTwo other Republican lawmakers are giving away donations after Nick Fuentes was seen visiting the office building associated with Defend Texas Liberty PAC President Jonathan Stickland. The meeting has roiled the party, leading to many Republicans calling on their peers to return money from the PAC.
Rep. John Smithee emerges as House hero among Paxton supporters, floated for speaker
Read full article: Rep. John Smithee emerges as House hero among Paxton supporters, floated for speakerOn the day the House impeached Ken Paxton, Smithee delivered a 20 minute speech, criticizing the impeachment process as opaque, rushed and unfair to the accused.
Proposed ban on corporal punishment in Texas schools fails again
Read full article: Proposed ban on corporal punishment in Texas schools fails againTexas public schools can allow corporal punishment, which includes hitting, spanking, paddling or deliberately inflicting physical pain to discipline students.
Houston-area state legislator wants to block websites containing abortion information
Read full article: Houston-area state legislator wants to block websites containing abortion informationA Houston-area state legislator wants to block websites containing information on obtaining abortions or abortion pills.
‘Pugilist Patrick on full display’: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick takes aim at two Republicans who crossed him
Read full article: ‘Pugilist Patrick on full display’: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick takes aim at two Republicans who crossed himPatrick has made no qualms in the past about bending arms or using public pressure to get other state officials — including Gov. Greg Abbott — to go along with his plans.
2 Texas bills would restrict lessons about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools
Read full article: 2 Texas bills would restrict lessons about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schoolsThe legislation closely mirrors a Florida bill passed last year, dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which detractors say would further isolate LGBTQ students and open teachers and school districts to legal risks.
‘I want to fight’: LGBTQ Texans ready for legislative session as GOP lawmakers target them in dozens of bills
Read full article: ‘I want to fight’: LGBTQ Texans ready for legislative session as GOP lawmakers target them in dozens of billsRepublicans are backing legislation targeting gender-affirming care for children, classroom lessons about sexuality and drag shows.
Texas Republicans say if Roe falls, they’ll focus on adoptions and preventing women from seeking abortions elsewhere
Read full article: Texas Republicans say if Roe falls, they’ll focus on adoptions and preventing women from seeking abortions elsewhereState leaders say expanding a social safety net for children and prosecuting abortion funders are among their priorities. “We’ll continue to do our best to make abortion not just outlawed, but unthinkable,” said state Rep. Briscoe Cain.
“I wanted to teach differently than I had been taught”: How some Texas educators practice anti-racist teaching
Read full article: “I wanted to teach differently than I had been taught”: How some Texas educators practice anti-racist teachingConservative lawmakers denounce critical race theory and say it facilitates racism. Some teachers say it actually informs their efforts to counter racism in the curriculum and classroom, even though they don't teach it directly to students.
Texas’ controversial new social studies law prompts McKinney school officials to cancel Youth and Government class
Read full article: Texas’ controversial new social studies law prompts McKinney school officials to cancel Youth and Government classOne of the Republican authors of the so-called critical race theory bill said the district is misinterpreting the new law’s ban on political activism. A school official called the language “vague.”
Texas teachers say GOP’s new social studies law will hinder how an entire generation understands race, history and current events
Read full article: Texas teachers say GOP’s new social studies law will hinder how an entire generation understands race, history and current eventsEducators who spoke to The Texas Tribune overwhelmingly denounced the new social studies law going into effect Sept. 1. These are the provisions they say could cause problems for them — and Texas students.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s son says Texas Republicans are misrepresenting his father’s words in effort to whitewash history
Read full article: Martin Luther King Jr.’s son says Texas Republicans are misrepresenting his father’s words in effort to whitewash historyRepublican Texas lawmakers have justified their efforts to limit how racism and current events are taught in school by saying that critical race theory judges people by the color of their skin. Martin Luther King III and experts disagree.
Texas Senate bill seeks to strip required lessons on people of color and women from “critical race theory” law
Read full article: Texas Senate bill seeks to strip required lessons on people of color and women from “critical race theory” lawThe bill would also remove a requirement to teach that white supremacy is "morally wrong." One Democratic lawmaker said the bill’s attempts could lead to a “frightening dystopian future.”
Texas bill to ban the teaching of "critical race theory" spiked at the last minute on a technicality
Read full article: Texas bill to ban the teaching of "critical race theory" spiked at the last minute on a technicalityTexas educators worried the bill would have a chilling effect on tough conversations about race and racism. GOP lawmakers said they wanted to ensure teachers' personal biases stay out of their lessons
Houston area author of ‘Critical Race Theory bill’ optimistic it will be signed into law soon
Read full article: Houston area author of ‘Critical Race Theory bill’ optimistic it will be signed into law soonTexas teachers could not be forced to take sides on any “currently controversial issues of public policy or social affairs” and would be limited in how they talk about things like systemic racism and white privilege if a new bill becomes law.
Texas public schools couldn’t require critical race theory lessons under bill given initial House approval
Read full article: Texas public schools couldn’t require critical race theory lessons under bill given initial House approvalThe Texas House has given preliminary approval to legislation that takes aim at critical race theory and would limit what public school students can be taught about the United States’ history of subjugating people of color.
Analysis: Coronavirus splits Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his own party
Read full article: Analysis: Coronavirus splits Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his own partyWhat’s unusual is to see so many prominent Republican names on the top of a lawsuit against the Republican governor of Texas this close to an election. What’s happening in Texas illustrates how the pandemic, the economy and other issues have shaken political norms. State Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, has disowned Abbott, saying he can no longer follow the GOP’s leading state official. In a normal presidential election year, a Texas governor who isn’t on the ballot would be leading the partisan charge, helping lesser and greater figures rally their voters in the state. Abbott isn’t ignoring the political fights of the season.
Conservative state Rep. Steve Toth withdraws support for Gov. Greg Abbott over coronavirus response
Read full article: Conservative state Rep. Steve Toth withdraws support for Gov. Greg Abbott over coronavirus responseGreg Abbott meets with local El Paso leaders to discuss the coronavirus situation for the city and state on Aug. 13, 2020, in El Paso. Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The TexaState Rep. Steve Toth, a Republican from The Woodlands, has withdrawn his support of Gov. Greg Abbott, arguing the GOP leader has "betrayed the trust of conservative Texans" over his response to the coronavirus pandemic. "What has become clear that you have no plan for how and when to end this nightmare," Toth wrote. "Stop using polling data to shape your response instead of using the ample downwared data on hospitalizations and new infections."