Latest news with #GovernorAbbott
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Texas becomes latest state to push for political control over ‘woke' universities
Texas universities may soon see significant changes as legislation potentially granting boards greater control over curriculum and the power to eliminate degree programs awaits approval by Governor Greg Abbott. This move aligns with a broader trend in Republican-led states, including Florida and Ohio, seeking to reshape higher education institutions perceived as promoting liberal ideologies. These actions coincide with increased federal intervention under the Trump administration, which has utilized funding and student visa authority to curb campus activism and diversity initiatives. Critics, including professors like Isaac Kamola, Director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors, argue that such measures infringe upon academic freedom. Kamola describes the situation as "an existential attack on higher education," highlighting concerns that political influence is being used to enforce ideological conformity within universities. A Texas effort to shape general education requirements Under the Texas legislation, governing boards at higher education institutions will be tasked with reviewing — and potentially overturning — general education curriculum requirements to ensure courses are necessary to prepare students for civic and professional life, equip them for the workforce and are worth the cost to students. Governing boards also will gain greater power over faculty councils, the employment of academic administrators and decisions to eliminate minor degree or certificate programs that have low enrollment. The bill also creates a state ombudsman's office to investigate complaints against institutions, including alleged violations of restrictions against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. 'The objective of this legislation is to provide consistency with respect to our curriculum and the degrees we're offering our students,' Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, co-sponsor of the legislation, said during House floor debate. Ray Bonilla, an attorney for the Texas A&M University System, one of the state's largest higher education institutions, said the legislation formalizes decisions already being made at the university and wouldn't create an 'undue workload.' But Democratic state Rep. Donna Howard said during a May committee hearing that the legislation 'appears to be extreme micromanagement on the part of the Legislature.' 'The bill is not about improving education, it is about increasing control,' Howard said during the debate. An Ohio law mandates specific curriculum In Ohio, a new law bans DEI programs at public colleges and universities, strips faculty of certain collective bargaining and tenure protections and mandates a civil literacy course in order to graduate. In addition to covering the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the three-credit-hour course must include a least five essays from the Federalist Papers, the 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' by Martin Luther King Jr. and a study of the principles of Adam Smith's 'The Wealth of Nations,' among other things. The law also places restrictions on the handling of 'controversial beliefs or policies,' defined to include climate, immigration or foreign policy, electoral politics, DEI programs, marriage and abortion. While testifying for his bill, Republican state Sen. Jerry Cirino cited John Dewey - one of the fathers of progressive education - to condemn what he believes to be a hard tack in the other direction at colleges and universities. 'He believed that all theories should be examined and debated,' Cirino told fellow lawmakers. 'He would certainly have been against the woke conformity we see on so many campuses and the clearly demonstrated liberal leanings of faculty and staff who will not tolerate alternative views.' Christopher McKnight Nichols, an Ohio State University history professor, said the law has already driven some faculty members to sanitize their websites of 'controversial' content, alter course descriptions and, in some cases, cancel courses altogether. He said it's never been proven that faculty members are systematically punishing students who don't share their political beliefs. Nichols is among a coalition of Ohio educators, students and administrators fighting back against the new law. Opponents face a late June deadline to collect enough signatures to place a referendum overturning it on the November ballot. A movement with roots in a Trump order and Florida In some ways, the efforts to exert greater state control over college faculty and curriculums are moving higher education closer to a governing model generally seen in K-12 education, said Alec Thomson, president of the National Council for Higher Education at the National Education Association. 'It's a concerning change in the sense that you would expect the institutions to have a fair amount of autonomy to make these decisions about curriculum,' added Thomson, a professor of political science and history at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan. During his first term in 2020, Trump issued an executive order 'combating race and sex stereotyping' in federal agencies and contracting that forbid the promotion of 'divisive concepts,' including that one race or sex is 'inherently superior' to another, that individuals should feel guilty because of their race or sex and that merit-based systems are racist or sexist. Similar prohibitions on divisive concepts soon appeared in model bills backed by conservative think tanks and in state higher education laws, including in Florida in 2022. The next year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis initiated a makeover of the New College of Florida — a small liberal arts school once known as the state's most progressive — by appointing a group of conservatives to its governing board. DeSantis then traveled to the campus to sign a law barring public funds from going to DEI activities in higher education or promoting political or social activism. Governors and lawmakers this year have taken about twice as many actions targeting DEI initiatives as last year, according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill-tracking software Plural. Among those is a new Idaho law that not only bans DEI offices and programs in higher education but also addresses what's taught in the classroom. It prohibits colleges and universities from requiring students to take DEI-related courses to meet graduation requirements, unless they're pursuing degrees in race or gender studies.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Bill that gives Texas increased oversight of largest energy users wins Legislature's approval
A bill that gives Texas oversight over energy transactions between power generators and the state's largest consumers of electricity heads to Gov. Greg Abbott after the Texas Legislature agreed on changes Thursday. Senate Bill 6 also proposes new ways to assess the amount of electricity that is available to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the main manager of the state's grid, giving them the authority to shut off power to industrial consumers in an emergency. 'What we've done here today may become the model for the rest of the country,' said state Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, the bill's author. The bill would give ERCOT the power to oversee energy transactions between power generators and large consumers that don't involve the state's grid. ERCOT would also have the authority to cut their power and use it during an emergency. King has said his bill will allow the state to better manage electric supply at times of high demand. Power generators and companies said the new oversight measures proposed by the bill would be excessive for a market accustomed to the free trade of energy without requirements imposed by the state. They have said the bill could discourage companies from doing business in Texas. King said the new rules are not meant to do so. 'I think what this bill is seeking to do is set out clear rules where large load customers that want to come to Texas know what they're getting when they get here,' said state Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, who sponsored the bill in the lower chamber. The bill would also require companies to disclose whether they have other projects in the state. Sen. Phil King said this would give ERCOT information to better predict and meet energy demands in the future more accurately. That's necessary to determine the state's electricity needs without overbuilding, which would result in higher rates for everyday consumers, he said. Texas will need almost double the electricity it consumes today to meet a demand driven mainly by data centers and the oil and gas industry, a demand that ERCOT President Pablo Vegas said the grid, in its current state, is capable of meeting when that demand arrives. Lawmakers added and removed some provisions from the bill during a debate in the House on Monday. One amendment got rid of a previously accepted proposal by state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, which gave new large businesses in Texas the option to get electricity faster from the grid if they let ERCOT reduce their power consumption at will. Another amendment approved Monday, introduced by state Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, would inject any excess electricity back into the grid and use any money from selling that energy to lower water bills for electricity ratepayers. Dan Diorio, senior director of state policy at the Data Center Coalition, a national group, said they were receptive to the changes sent to the upper chamber. The Data Center Coalition 'is appreciative that changes made to Senate Bill 6 during the legislative process intend to balance the need to support economic development with efforts to ensure the continued stability of the Texas electricity grid,' Diorio said. ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Freed sex offender with 10 felonies allegedly kidnaps woman after being freed from jail on low bond
The Brief Repeat offender Arcade Comeaux felonies are violent, including aggravated assault of a child. He was later charged with arson. Just 25 days after his low bond was set for the arson charge, he allegedly kidnapped a woman. A new law waiting to be signed by Governor Greg Abbott would ban low bonds for violent felonies. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Based on his criminal history, it wasn't a question of whether Arcade Comeaux get charged with another felony, but when. His most recent criminal charge came after being free from jail for just 25 days. The backstory Most of Comeaux's felonies are violent, including aggravated sexual assault of a child. He must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In April, he's charged with arson. "Allegedly he tried to burn his own house down with himself in it," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers. Being a registered sex offender for life and having a history of committing violent crimes, you would think Comeaux would be jailed under a six-figure bond. Magistrate/Hearing Officer Sharon Shue set Comeaux's bond at just $1,000. 25 days after his low bond was set, Comeaux kidnapped a woman, according to police. Now, he is jailed with no bond set. The governor is expected to sign a bill into law that come September would prohibit magistrates from setting bond amounts for violent felony charges. The Source FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace spoke with Andy Kahan from Houston Crime Stoppers.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Texas set to require display of Ten Commandments in state schools
Texas is preparing to force schools to display The Ten Commandments, in a victory for hardline Christian activists. The 'Ten Commandments' bill easily passed the state's Republican-held House of Representatives on Friday and must return to the state Senate for final approval before send-off to Governor Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign the legislation into law. Under the proposal, a 20-inch tall 'durable poster or framed copy' of the biblical laws would be displayed in a 'conspicuous place' in every primary and secondary school classroom across the state. The bill is likely to face fierce challenges under the US Constitution's first amendment – which expressly forbids establishment of a state religion – and has been dubbed a 'flagrant disregard for the separation of church and state' by the progressive American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Nevertheless, Dan Patrick, Texas's lieutenant governor, said passing the bill was a priority for this year's legislative session. The US state of Louisiana was the first to mandate the presence of The Ten Commandments in schools in 2024, and the US state of Arkansas enacted a similar law in April. Mr Patrick wrote at the time on X that 'Texas WOULD have been and SHOULD have been the first state in the nation to put the 10 Commandments back in our schools', referencing a previous bill that had failed. A federal judge later struck down Louisiana's law as 'unconstitutional on its face', which the state is appealing. Phil King, a Republican state senator and vocal advocate for Christian causes who introduced this iteration of Texas's bill, wrote on X: 'It's time to return the 10 Commandments to our classrooms where they were displayed for over 200 years. 'Few documents in the history of Western civilization and in American history have had a larger impact on our moral and legal code, and our culture, than the 10 Commandments.' It's time to return the 10 Commandments to our classrooms where they were displayed for over 200 years. Few documents in the history of Western civilization and in American history have had a larger impact on our moral and legal code, and our culture, than the 10 Commandments. — Phil King (@PhilKingTX) March 20, 2025 Placing The Ten Commandments in schools has long been a goal of hardline Christian groups, who have argued the institutions have become hotbeds of secularism and immorality. They have been backed for years by the more fringe factions of the Republican Party, but the idea has recently become more mainstream. Donald Trump has previously thrown his support behind displaying The Ten Commandments, writing on Truth Social in 2024: 'I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT – HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG??? 'THIS MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST MAJOR STEP IN THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED, IN OUR COUNTRY. BRING BACK TTC!!! MAGA2024.' However, it is unclear how the legislation will be enforced, and a committee analysis of the state Senate's version of the bill says it 'does not expressly create a criminal offence'. The Texas and Louisiana bills are nearly identical to a 1978 law in the US state of Kentucky which mandated the display of The Ten Commandments and was two years later ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in the case of Stone v Graham. Texas also passed a separate piece of legislation last week allowing for a period of prayer or religious study during the school day. However, supporters of increased religion in schools were dealt a setback on Thursday after the US Supreme Court deadlocked on the US state of Oklahoma's first-ever taxpayer-funded religious charter school, which meant a lower court ruling which declared it unconstitutional was affirmed.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ten Commandments could be in Texas public school classrooms as bill nears passage
The Brief The Texas House advanced a bill that would require the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom statewide. If enacted, the bill mandates a specific size and legibility for the display and allows schools to accept donations for the posters. The bill needs a final House vote before heading to Governor Greg Abbott's desk; if passed, it would take effect for the 2025-2026 school year. AUSTIN, Texas - The Ten Commandments could be posted in public school classrooms as early as next school year after the Texas House pushed a bill requiring just that to a third reading on Saturday. Senate Bill 10 passed 88-49 on second reading Saturday after lawmakers spent more than two hours debating the bill. The bill survived intact despite several challenges from Democratic lawmakers. House Republicans shot down attempts to let school boards vote on allowing the Ten Commandments in classrooms and allowing codes of ethics from other religions to join the Ten Commandments on classroom walls. What they're saying Rep. Candy Noble, the bill's House sponsor, called the Ten Commandments a foundational part of the American education system. "Nothing is more deep rooted in the fabric of our American tradition of education than the Ten Commandments. The very way we treat others as a society comes from the principles found in the Ten Commandments. It's time to return to the truth, to the fabric of our educational system. "The displaying of the Ten Commandments in our Texas classrooms will bring back this historic tradition of recognizing America's foundational heritage in both our educational and judicial systems, and remind students of the importance of this cornerstone of American and Texas law," Noble said. The other side Rep. John Bryant said the bill was written to put Christian and Jewish religion in classrooms and would cause school districts controversy and lead to issues if young students asked teachers about some of the commandments. "If your elementary school child walked up to you and said 'mom or dad, what is adultery?' How would you answer that? I guarantee you, you would stop and think about it, and you would have some difficulty at that age," Bryant said. "What do you expect our public school teachers to do with that question?" Bryant said the same lawmakers who want the bill to pass would be the same ones that call for a teacher's job if they answer questions about the Ten Commandments the wrong way. "This is going to be an impossible burden for our school districts every year," Bryant said. Dig deeper If passed, the bill would require schools to post a "durable poster or framed copy" of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The displayed copies would need to be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall and "in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom." The bill would mandate that schools that do not have posters that meet the requirements to accept donations or use public funds to replace them. If passed, the bill would go into effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year. What's next The bill still requires a third vote in the House before it goes to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. That vote could happen as early as Sunday. The bill passed the Senate 20-11 in March. The Source Information on Senate Bill 10 comes from the Texas Legislature. Comment made about the bill come from the May 24, 2025, Texas House session.
