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Congressional hearing floats overturning landmark legal precedent protecting access to public schools
This week, congressional Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee organized a hearing calling into question Plyler v. Doe, a 1982 Supreme Court decision affirming the right of all students, regardless of immigration status, to attend public schools.
Read MoreFederal Judge Strikes Down ‘DEI’ Ban in Schools, Universities
Late last week, a U.S. district judge in Maryland ruled in favor of AFT and a coalition of associations, educators, and school districts, declaring that the Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at schools, colleges, and universities is unconstitutional.
Read More89th Legislature in Review: Your Right to Democratic Representation
Our 2022 Texas Needs Teachers report highlighted a deep concern among Texas educators about the lack of teacher input into state-level policies such as testing, school funding, licensure (renewal), and evaluation.
Read MoreTexas educators oppose woefully inadequate STAAR reform proposal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 21, 2025 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org House Bill 8 does not overhaul high-stakes testing in Texas schools AUSTIN, Texas – Today, the Texas House Committee on Public Education will take public testimony on House Bill 8, its initial offering in this second special session on testing...
Read MoreFederal judge blocks Ten Commandments law for certain Texas school districts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 21, 2025 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org Educators across the state remain worried about the implications of SB 10 AUSTIN, Texas – Yesterday, a federal judge in San Antonio issued an injunction against the implementation of Senate Bill 10 in select Texas school districts. SB 10 is...
Read MoreAug. 15, 2025: The Grift Is On
Friday, August 15, 2025 The Grift Is On If you read this newsletter regularly, you know that the education landscape is changing, and not necessarily for the better. Over the next year, Texas will prepare to implement Gov. Greg Abbott’s long-sought private school voucher program. Just this week, we...
Read MoreICYMI: New investigation reveals over 60 instances of nepotism and conflicts of interest at Texas private schools
Records show Texas private schools have made nepotism hires, awarded millions in contracts to board members’ private businesses, and offered personal loans to school leaders
Read More89th Legislature in Review: Your Right to Freedom of Religion in Schools
Educators know our public schools should be safe spaces for every Texas child, regardless of their race, socioeconomic background, gender identity, or religious upbringing. That’s why our members made the right to freedom of religion in schools a plank in our Educator’s Bill of Rights. Increasingly, state leaders are blurring...
Read MoreTexas drops two years of A-F ratings for Texas public schools
Additional school districts pushed closer to state takeover
Read MoreTexas Special Session, Week 4 Recap
The fourth and final week of Texas’s special legislative session remained mired in a stalemate as Sine Die, the final day of this session came and went without a quorum. More than 50 Texas House Democrats fled the state in July to block a redistricting proposal backed by President Donald...
Read MoreTrump Executive Order Could Put Retirement Savings at Risk
A new executive order from President Donald Trump would open the door for 401(k) and other retirement plans to invest in private equity,which labor advocates warn could be a bad deal for millions of Americans, putting their retirement security at risk. Under current regulations, most retirement accounts are kept in...
Read MoreAug. 8, 2025: The Future of Texas Public Education
Friday, August 8, 2025 The Future of Texas Public Over the next year, this state’s leaders will plan and implement a private school voucher program. The ripple effect of this third taxpayer-funded school system (after public schools and charter schools) will be enormous. Just this week, reports surfaced of...
Read More89th Legislature in Review: Your Right to Academic Freedom
Academic freedom: the pillar of higher education, and the target of the 89th legislative session. For the past two years, the Texas Legislature has fixated on our public colleges and universities, attempting to control every aspect of what makes our schools great: the freedom the teach and the freedom to...
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