Daily Dispatch 11/18/24: SBOE Votes Today On New Public Ed Materials Full Of Bible Stories, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The Texas State Board of Education is set to vote today on the adoption of "Bluebonnet Learning", public school materials developed under a new Texas law that allows the frequent use of Christian Bible lessons: https://communityimpact.com/austin/south-central-austin/texas-legislature/2024/11/15/texas-board-of-education-to-vote-on-first-state-developed-textbooks-nov-18/ ...TEA Commissioner Mike Morath has testified that these Bible lessons have been supported by research showing they improve test scores and vocabulary - critics aren't buying that: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/texas-sboe-to-hear-final-comments-on-controversial-bible-filled-curriculum ...These lessons also commonly omit difficult aspects of history laying bare the history of racism in America - literally whitewashing social studies lessons for young learners: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/texas-curriculum-history-social-studies-slavery-racism/ ...All of this at a moment when other right-wing ideas related to education - private school vouchers, DEI elimination, and more - stand to spread from Texas nationwide as Donald Trump threatens to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/2024/11/18/texas-education-under-donald-trump-school-vouchers-dei-title-ix/76255844007/ ...Oklahoma's not waiting around for our lead - their state education superintendent sent out a video last week decrying "woke teachers unions" and announcing a new Department of Religious Freedom and Patriotism, complete with an on-camera prayer and mandatory viewing for all Oklahoma public school students: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bc-us-religious-freedom-office-oklahoma_n_6738e2bae4b0520a467732ca Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales of San Antonio went on national TV to express confidence that Donald Trump's "biggest mass deportation operation in American history" will somehow spare beloved abuelitas and vital workers: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/country-built-fleeing-persecution-rep-tony-gonzales-focus/story?id=115933940 Our annual holiday fundraising parties approach! We'll be gathering both in Dallas and Austin this December, and there are sponsorship opportunities available and individual tickets are now on sale: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Project 2025 is no longer a warning: it's now the playbook of the next American administration: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at @progresstexas.bsky.social. Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.