Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2202 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Creighton, et al. S.B. No. 2202
	1	+	By: Creighton S.B. No. 2202
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed April 12, 2021; April 12, 2021, read
	3	+	first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
	4	+	April 21, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	5	+	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 3; April 21, 2021,
	6	+	sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2202 By: Birdwell
2	9
3	10
4	11		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	12		AN ACT
6	13		relating to the social studies curriculum in public schools.
7	14		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	15		SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
9	16		adding Subsections (h-2), (h-3), and (h-4) to read as follows:
10	17		(h-2) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
11	18		social studies curriculum, the State Board of Education shall adopt
12	19		essential knowledge and skills that develop each student's civic
13	20		knowledge, including an understanding of:
14	21		(1) the fundamental moral, political, and
15	22		intellectual foundations of the American experiment in
16	23		self-government;
17	24		(2) the history, qualities, traditions, and features
18	25		of civic engagement in the United States;
19	26		(3) the structure, function, and processes of
20	27		government institutions at the federal, state, and local levels;
21	28		and
22	29		(4) the founding documents of the United States,
23	30		including:
24	31		(A) the Declaration of Independence;
25	32		(B) the United States Constitution;
26	33		(C) the Federalist Papers, including Essays 10
27	34		and 51;
28	35		(D) excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville's
29	36		Democracy in America;
30	37		(E) the transcript of the first Lincoln-Douglas
31	38		debate; and
32	39		(F) the writings of the founding fathers of the
33	40		United States.
34	41		(h-3) For courses in the social studies curriculum in Texas
35	42		history, United States history, world history, government, civics,
36	43		social studies, or other similar subjects:
37	44		(1) a teacher may not be compelled to discuss current
38	45		events or widely debated and currently controversial issues of
39	46		public policy or social affairs;
40	47		(2) a teacher who chooses to discuss topics described
41	48		by Subdivision (1) shall, to the best of the teacher's ability,
42	49		strive to explore those topics from diverse and contending
43	50		perspectives without giving deference to any one perspective;
44	51		(3) a school district, open-enrollment charter
45	52		school, or teacher may not require, make part of a course, or award
46	53		a grade or course credit, including extra credit, for a student's:
47	54		(A) work for, affiliation with, or service
48	55		learning in association with any organization engaged in:
49	56		(i) lobbying for legislation at the
50	57		federal, state, or local level; or
51	58		(ii) social or public policy advocacy;
52	59		(B) political activism, lobbying, or efforts to
53	60		persuade members of the legislative or executive branch at the
54	61		federal, state, or local level to take specific actions by direct
55	62		communication; or
56	63		(C) participation in any practicum or similar
57	64		activity involving social or public policy advocacy; and
58	65		(4) a teacher, administrator, or other employee of a
59	66		state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school
60	67		may not:
61	68		(A) be required to engage in training,
62	69		orientation, or therapy that presents any form of race or sex
63	70		stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex; and
64	71		(B) require or make part of a course the concept
65	72		that:
66	73		(i) one race or sex is inherently superior
67	74		to another race or sex;
68	75		(ii) an individual, by virtue of the
69	76		individual's race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or
70	77		oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;
71	78		(iii) an individual should be discriminated
72	79		against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of
73	80		the individual's race or sex;
74	81		(iv) members of one race or sex cannot and
75	82		should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex;
76	83		(v) an individual's moral character is
77	84		necessarily determined by the individual's race or sex;
78	85		(vi) an individual, by virtue of the
79	86		individual's race or sex, bears responsibility for actions
80	87		committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;
81	88		(vii) an individual should feel discomfort,
82	89		guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on
83	90		account of the individual's race or sex; or
84	91		(viii) meritocracy or traits such as a hard
85	92		work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a
86	93		particular race to oppress members of another race.
87	94		(h-4) A state agency, school district, or open-enrollment
88	95		charter school may not accept private funding for the purpose of
89	96		developing a curriculum, purchasing or selecting curriculum
90	97		materials, or providing teacher training or professional
91	98		development for a course described by Subsection (h-3).
92	99		SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
93	100		this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 school
94	101		year.
95	102		(b) Section 28.002(h-2), Education Code, as added by this
96	103		Act, applies beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.
97	104		SECTION 3. Not later than December 31, 2022, the State Board
98	105		of Education shall review and revise, as needed, the essential
99	106		knowledge and skills of the social studies curriculum as required
100	107		by Section 28.002(h-2), Education Code, as added by this Act.
101	108		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
102	109		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
103	110		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
104	111		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
105	112		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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