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

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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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

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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.