[Story written by Jacob Lehrer]

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) was going to revise the social studies curriculum across the state, giving teachers a clear picture of how U.S. history and social studies will be taught in K–12 public schools. This happens every ten years. Yet there was a lot of pushbacks on certain proposals and, to sort through the complexity of the issues, the State Board of Education decided to postpone revisions until the year 2025.

Last year, Texas passed a bill that banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory from public K-12 schools. The bill prohibited any teaching that, “one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; (an individual, by virtue of the individual ’s race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual ’s race or sex; an individual ’s moral character, standing, or worth is necessarily determined by the individual ’s race or sex.”

Additionally, the bill required social studies and history to be taught objectively. A “teacher may not be compelled to discuss a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs; a teacher who chooses to discuss a topic described by Subdivision (1) shall explore that topic objectively and in a manner free from political bias.”

This is where some educators were confused on how to teach social studies and history, what they were constrained from doing, and what perspectives they were allowed to use. The State Board of Education’s new social studies curriculum was supposed to clear much of that up.

Education in the state of Texas has taken on a politicization throughout the past two years, not only from teacher shortages and teacher pay, but additionally the culture wars brewing in public schools.

Texas education is facing a statewide teacher shortage. Polls show most teachers in the state are considering switching careers or resigning. After the pandemic and being caught in the mix of culture wars, Texas teachers have been having an incredibly hard time and it’s draining them.

“Teachers feel caught in the crossfire of the state’s culture wars as school boards have centered more of their attention in some cities on book bans and removing more inclusive curriculum than on how to help teachers and students have a more productive year,” according to the Texas Tribune

Texas teachers make $7,500 under the national average, they have to pay for their own school supplies. Polls show the high majority of teachers are tired in Texas, there is low teacher morale, and the Texas’ teachers feel like the state does not value them.

In response to the teacher shortage, cities are increasing teachers’ pay. But other schools in rural communities are having to switch to four-day school weeks. Beto O’Rourke centers on this issue, pointing out that Abbott’s education system is flawed focusing on standardized testing, and Abbott is doing little to help teachers. O’Rourke states that if he is elected he will increase the pay for teachers.

A major component of the education issue in Texas has been the culture wars within the state’s education system. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed to lots of parents across America what their students were learning in classrooms and what books they were reading.

Last year Texas representative Matt Krause compiled a list of 850 books that were deemed too inappropriate for K-12 students. The themes primarily dealt with critical race theory, sexual orientation, and gender. In a letter to the Texas Education Agency, Krause stated to remove books with “human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), sexually explicit images, graphic presentations of sexual behavior that is in violation of the law, or contain material that might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex or convey that a student, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

While there were books on the list that did have sexually graphic content, there were other books that mainly explained stories of people within racial issues, gender issues, and sexual orientation.

In Texas, parents, communities, school districts and officials made headway to remove lots of titles involving these themes stating they’re not appropriate for students, have no place in K-12 schools, and some of the titles have sexually graphic content.

Book bans all across the state have made national headlines. In Frisco, parents and school officials called for the removal of books that had sexual inappropriate material that could be accessed by teens.

Llano county is under a lawsuit by seven individuals who are suing the county for removing books from the public library on supposed ideological grounds.

Keller, Texas made national news removing the Bible and Anne Frank’s Diary: A Graphic Adaptation among a list of 40 other novels. The district had adopted a new policy, and so procedurally removed and reviewed every book complained about in the last year, even if it had been approved prior to the new policy. It was all procedural, and both books went back on the shelves a week later.

And now Grapevine-Colleyville, which has gone further than book bans, is in the national spotlight. It is highlighted for its restrictive policy against gender pronouns and that students must use the bathrooms and play on the sports teams of their gender at birth.

The GOP, being the “parents party,” is on the offensive against these topics in K-12 schools and public libraries where K-12 students can access them.

In response to this, critics against these actions believe these movements violate the First Amendment and lots of the books are targeted based on ideas that do not align with political and religious beliefs. Additionally, student groups are forming to gain access to band materials in their schools, believing their First Amendment rights are being violated.

Conservative organizations in Texas have also taken initiatives in the public school. A law passed last year allows “In God We Trust” signs to be displayed in public schools as long as they are privately donated. Private organizations have been mobilizing to provide these signs for school districts.

Another avenue in this topic is proposed state school voucher programs. “Parents,” Governor Abbott said in support, “should not be forced to send their child to a government-mandated school that teaches critical race theory, or is forcing their child to wear a face mask against their parents’ desire, or is forcing them to attend a school that isn’t safe.”

However, Abbott’s initiative has split opinion between Republicans on the issue. Texans, especially in rural areas, believe this will take away funding from Texas schools. Abbott has stated that will not be the case. Yet, there is not a clear directive of how Texas public schools will not lose funding while also being in a school voucher program.

According to Texas Monthly, “What most call “vouchers” can actually be several different things: tax credits for tuition or homeschooling supplies, access to a government savings account or scholarship that can be used for private school tuition, or a reimbursement for a set amount of educational expenses. Abbott has not committed to a specific kind of program, only to the idea that parents’ tax dollars should be able to pay for private school tuition.”

Proponents of school vouchers allow competitive schooling where districts will focus on their quality of education and outcomes to draw in more students and teachers.

The teacher shortages and culture wars in public education continue on the battleground of state politics in Texas. It will be one of several major issues in Texas that voters will consider voting in this election. On September 30, Governor Greg Abbott and Candidate Beto O’Rourke will have one debate at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, TX, hosted by Nexstar Media Group.