Bills on critical race theory, preventing sex abuse now in effect

Several laws passed in the Texas Legislature’s second special session are now in effect, including Senate Bill 3, which prevents the teaching of "Critical Race Theory."

Although CRT is not taught in Texas public schools, legislators argued that it produces classroom instruction that promotes racial divisiveness by exploring how racism has shaped history, policies and the legal system.

SB 3 updates and replaces provisions in House Bill 3979, passed during the 2021 regular session, which limits how Texas teachers can discuss race and current events in Social Studies courses and bars them from awarding course credit to students who volunteer for social or political advocacy work.

SB 3 applies to all courses from kindergarten through high school and requires that instructors teach racial topics “free from political bias.” Students also cannot be taught that people are consciously or unconsciously racist by virtue of their race or responsible for actions committed by other members of their race.

TCTA put together this Q&A to answer some common questions about the CRT bills. For more information on differences between SB 3 and HB 3979, click here. TCTA also will provide more information on SB 3 in the upcoming winter edition of The Classroom Teacher.

Also in effect as of Dec. 2, 2021, is Senate Bill 9, which requires classroom instruction on how to prevent child abuse, family violence, dating violence and sex trafficking at least once during middle school and once in high school.