As students across Texas head back to school this week, their districts are grappling with how to comply with new state laws.
Senate Bill 12 restricts several diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Texas public schools, while Senate Bill 13 introduces new library policies geared toward restricting books about gender, sexuality and other politically polarizing topics. Both are slated to take effect Sept. 1.
"Our primary goal this summer has been to read and digest the new legislation and help translate it into our policy resources," said Joy Baskin, an associate executive director at the nonprofit Texas Association of School Boards, which serves districts across the state.
Senate Bill 12 prohibits schools from sponsoring gay-straight alliances and forbids teachers from helping transgender students to socially transition by using different pronouns or names for the students.The bill also prevents DEI trainings and hiring practices and requires parental permission for students to join clubs.
Senate Bill 13 allows districts to create a school library council to guide their policies for books in schools. Under the new law, parents can also view the records of library books checked out by their children.
The bills have raised concerns from some education experts, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas issuingto challenge Senate Bill 12.
"I'm concerned that with some of the changes that are happening under Senate Bill 13, that teachers will pull back and there will be just overall less reading material," said Steve Amstutz, a former Houston ISD teacher and principal who now is the co-executive director for the Institute for Research and Reform in Education.
Amstutz described Senate Bill 12 as a "hodgepodge" that includes everything from facility usage to DEI initiatives and parental rights to information.
He said it's difficult to say how some portions of the bill might be interpreted. For example, the bill requires parental consent for a child to receive healthcare services.
"If I send a 5-year-old to the nurse for a Bandaid, is that medical treatment? I think you could make that argument, and then what does that require?" he said.
As a former administrator, Amstutz worries the new bills will create more work for schools by requiring more paperwork – while simultaneously restricting the educational materials and opportunities available to students.
"It's a lot more work for schools to do, that isn't about providing more support and more assistance for kids," he said. "It's more work to provide less."
Baskin said the new laws are in line with Texas' emphasis on parental rights.
"We have always emphasized that parental rights are really strongly protected in Texas law, even before this legislation, so our perspective has always been that parents are entitled to full information about their child's activities at school," she said.
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