Alert! Texas Fight Over Bible in the Classroom Not Over, Final Vote This Friday!
Thank you to all who traveled to Austin to testify on Monday or messaged the SBOE by email! Your voice made a difference! But the work is not done.
Earlier today, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) voted on a motion to remove the Bluebonnet Learning materials that have references to the Bible. The SBOE voted 7 in favor and 8 against the motion to remove the materials with Bible references. This means that the Bluebonnet Learning materials are saved for now, but there will be a final vote for approval this Friday!
While we are thankful for the slim majority victory that will allow students to benefit from the cultural and literary references to the Bible, there were a few Republicans who spoke out against the Bluebonnet materials and voted against them joining their Leftist, Democrat colleagues. SBOE members Pam Little (R- Fairview), Evelyn Brooks (R- Frisco), and Pat Hardy (R- Fort Worth) voted with Leftist Democrat members to reject the instructional materials with references to the Bible. If you live in Collin County, Tarrant County, or in the larger DFW area, please message these members to let them know that you support the Bluebonnet materials. Remind them of the values that they promised to uphold! For example, SBOE member Evelyn Brooks states in her bio that she “has extensive experience educating and helping youth to develop a Biblical worldview… and to think independently” and was also a Bible teacher. A special thanks to all of you who attended our Lunch and Learn event in Allen, Texas (Little and Brooks districts) last week to learn more what is happening at the SBOE.
The instructional materials were saved today, but it is not over! Please contact your SBOE members and let them know that you support materials with Biblical references which are protected by the First Amendment. Tell them the positive influence you believe these materials will have in schools. Remind them this is a step in the direction to offer an alternative to schools choosing radical LGBT, CRT lesson plans.
Please email the SBOE NOW! The final vote will be at the Friday, November 22, meeting!
To email the entire board with a single message, please send your message to: sboesupport@sboe.texas.gov.
To email individual members, use the addresses below. You can find your SBOE member at https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home .
Chairman Aaron Kinsey aaron.kinsey@tea.texas.gov
Evelyn Brooks ebrooks@evelyn4texaseducation.com
Leslie Recine sboesupport@sboe.texas.gov
Pam Little pam.little@tea.texas.gov
Pat Hardy pat.hardy.1109@gmail.com
Tom Maynard tom@maynardfortexas.com
Kevin Ellis ellisSBOE@gmail.com
Audrey Young audrey.young@tea.texas.gov
Julie Pickren Julie.Pickren@tea.texas.gov
Will Hickman will.hickman@tea.texas.gov
Rebecca Bell-Metereau rebecca.bellmetereau@tea.texas.gov
Staci Childs Staci.Childs@sboe.texas.gov
Marisa B. Perez-Diaz marisa.perez@sboe.texas.gov
LJ Francis LJ.Francis@sboe.texas.gov
Melissa N. Ortega Melissa.Ortega@tea.texas.gov