Bill Text: TX HB3979 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the social studies curriculum in public schools.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 36-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/21 [HB3979 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB3979-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Toth H.B. No. 3979
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to civics instruction public school students and
  instruction policies in public schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (h-1), (h-2), and (h-3) to read as follows:
         (h-1)  In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
  social studies curriculum, the State Board of Education shall adopt
  essential knowledge and skills that develop each student's civic
  knowledge, including an understanding of:
               (1)  the fundamental moral, political, and
  intellectual foundations of the American experiment in
  self-government, as well as the history, qualities, traditions, and
  features of civic engagement in the United States;
               (2)  the structure, function, and processes of
  government institutions at the federal, state, and local levels;
  and
               (3)  the founding documents of the United States,
  including the Declaration of Independence, the United States
  Constitution, the Federalist Papers (including but not limited to
  Essays 10 and 51), excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy
  in America, the first Lincoln-Douglas debate, and the writings of
  the Founding Fathers of the United States.
         (h-2)  In the instruction of the essential knowledge and
  skills for the social studies curriculum, in applicable courses of
  Texas, United States, and world history, government, civics, social
  studies, or similar subject areas:
               (1)  no teacher shall be compelled by a policy of any
  state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter
  school, or school administration to discuss current events or
  widely debated and currently controversial issues of public policy
  or social affairs;
               (2)  teachers who choose to discuss current events or
  widely debated and currently controversial issues of public policy
  or social affairs shall, to the best of their ability, strive to
  explore such issues from diverse and contending perspectives
  without giving deference to any one perspective;
               (3)  no school district or teacher shall require, make
  part of a course, or award course grading or credit including extra
  credit for, student work for, affiliation with, or service learning
  in association with any organization engaged in lobbying for
  legislation at the local, state or federal level, or in social or
  public policy advocacy; and
               (4)  no school district or teacher shall require, make
  part of a course, or award course grading or credit including extra
  credit for, political activism, lobbying, or efforts to persuade
  members of the legislative or executive branch to take specific
  actions by direct communication at the local, state or federal
  level, or any practicum or like activity involving social or public
  policy advocacy.
               (5)  No teacher, administrator, or other employee in
  any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter
  school, or school administration shall be required to engage in
  training, orientation, or therapy that presents any form of race or
  sex stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex.
               (6)  No teacher, administrator, or other employee in
  any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter
  school, or school administration shall shall require, or make part
  of a course the following concepts: (1) one race or sex is
  inherently superior to another race or sex; (2) an individual, by
  virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or
  oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; (3) an
  individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse
  treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex; (4)
  members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat
  others without respect to race or sex; (5) an individual's moral
  character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex; (6)
  an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears
  responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members
  of the same race or sex; (7) any individual should feel discomfort,
  guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on
  account of his or her race or sex; or (8) meritocracy or traits such
  as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a
  members of a particular race to oppress members of another race.
         (h-3)  No private funding shall be accepted by state
  agencies, school district, campuses, open-enrollment charter
  schools, or school administrations for the purposes of curriculum
  development, purchase or choice of curricular materials, teacher
  training, or professional development pertaining to courses on
  Texas, United States, and world history, government, civics, social
  studies, or similar subject areas.
         SECTION 2  This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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