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Texas Adopts New Science Standards

Jun 1, 2017

By a 14-0 vote, the Texas State Board of Education agreed on a public school science curriculum that would allow students to learn science without requiring them to challenge the theory of evolution.

The most recent anti-evolution controversy in the state arose when language that stated students are required to “evaluate all sides” of science was placed in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills science standards earlier this year. Critics argued that this was code for sneaking creationism into Texas public school science classes.

The Attacks On Religious Freedom Keep Coming From The Texas Legislature: A Roundup

May 23, 2017 by Dena Sher in Wall of Separation

The Texas legislature only meets every other year. So, with the last day of session rapidly approaching, the past few days – yes, even including the weekend – have been wild. The result: A lot of harmful policies are closer to becoming law. Here’s a roundup of the legislature’s troubling actions over past couple of days:

New Hearing Sought In Case Of Texas School Board Opening Meetings With Prayers

May 1, 2017

A federal appeals court in March ruled a Texas school board can open its meetings with student-led prayers.

Isaiah Smith, a Birdville Independent School District graduate, and the American Humanist Association (AHA) filed a lawsuit objecting to the Haltom City-based district’s practice of having students open board meetings with invocations that are predominantly Christian and encouraging the audience to participate.

The AHA said Smith felt “isolated and excluded by the school board’s practice of promoting religion in the public sphere.”

San Antonio Mayor Blames Poverty On People ‘Not Being In A Relationship With Their Creator’

Apr 26, 2017 by Rokia Hassanein in Wall of Separation

San Antonio, Texas, Mayor Ivy Taylor recently shared some disturbing views – blaming systematic poverty on people’s lack of religiosity. 

At an April 3 mayoral candidate forum, Megan Legacy, the director of SA Christian Resource Center, asked Taylor “What do you see as the deepest, systemic causes of generational poverty in San Antonio?”

A Big Loss For Vouchers In The Lone Star State

Apr 10, 2017 by Rob Boston in Wall of Separation

Texas is one of the more conservative states in the country. Over the years, Lone Star State legislators have cooked up some pretty bad church-state legislation.

Voucher legislation is common in the Texas legislature, but even in this redder than red state, the bills usually fail to gain traction. This year’s session has given us a new twist: the lieutenant governor’s hard push for vouchers prompted the House to pass a proposal to bar the funding of private school vouchers.

Texas County Officials Refuse AU’s Request To Remove Ten Commandments Marker

Mar 31, 2017

Officials in a Texas county said they will not remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from county property.

Americans United, responding to a local complaint, in January sent Nueces County officials a letter informing them that the Ten Commandments monument on the courthouse lawn was an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion, and demanded the Decalogue be removed.

Ten Commandments Monument Removed From Pittsburgh-Area Public High School

Mar 29, 2017 by Liz Hayes in Wall of Separation

I recently heard some interesting news from my hometown in suburban Pittsburgh: A Ten Commandments monument that was the subject of a federal court battle has been removed from the grounds of a public high school.

Texas ‘Bathroom Bill’ Is Similar To North Carolina’s

Feb 1, 2017

Despite North Carolina’s suffering major economic consequences for enacting an anti-transgender “bathroom bill,” officials in Texas want to go down a similar route. In a newly-filed bill, state officials seek to ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R) filed the bill, officially named the Texas Privacy Act, on Jan. 5. It would require people to use public bathrooms that align with their sex at birth, which would target the transgender community. The law would not be applicable to private businesses.

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