After six hours of public testimony and two days of board debate, the SBOE voted to advance new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards across all grade levels. The votes largely broke along partisan lines: kindergarten through second grade passed 9-5, grades three through five 10-5, middle school 10-2, and high school courses 9-5.
The review process began in 2023 and has been years in the making. Approved amendments require middle school students to read The Federalist Papers, teach kindergarteners that voting is a right, responsibility, and privilege of citizenship, and require instruction on reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Conservative group Texas Values celebrated the results, calling it a “huge victory for American Civics, Texas History, and making sure students understand the influence Christianity has on our nation’s founding.”
Public testimony reflected deep community investment. Supporters focused on accurate history, founding documents, and American and Texas exceptionalism. Multiple speakers pushed back against requests from the Council on American-Islamic Relations to alter specific standards. “Please do not allow outside groups to attempt to rewrite our history here,” one parent said. (RELATED: Abbott Threatens Houston, Dallas, Austin With Massive Grant Cuts Over Immigration Policies)
SBOE Member Brandon Hall (R-Dist. 11) raised concerns when a representative from CAIR Austin signed up to testify, questioning whether a member of a “designated foreign terrorist organization” — referencing Governor Abbott’s November designation — could address the board. Chairman Aaron Kinsey (R-Dist. 15) ruled the speaker retained First Amendment rights and allowed testimony to proceed.
The five Democratic board members had sought to pause the process entirely, citing concerns about content advisor Dr. Donald Frazier’s alleged failure to disclose a $70,000 grant from the Texas Public Policy Foundation tied to TEKS development. “The failure to disclose this funding to the entire SBOE is deeply troubling, raises serious ethical concerns, and casts doubt over the integrity of the entire review process,” the Democrats stated.
The board pressed forward regardless. Final adoption is expected at the June 22-26 meetings. (RELATED: Talarico Takes in $27 Million in Texas Senate Race)
