Metro Creative
Over the last year, discussion of race relations, injustice and inequity has been pushed into the national spotlight.
In Texas schools, those conversations could look a lot different if the Texas Legislature approves a bill that restricts how teachers can discuss current events in the classroom and teach about Americaâs historical treatment of people of color. House Bill 3979, which mirrors legislation making its way through state legislatures across the country, has been coined the âcritical race theory bill,â which studies the ways race and racism have impacted Americaâs legal and social systems.
âHouse Bill 3979 will remove a teacherâs ability to address events that have occurred in American History, but will also remove the ability to address current events to make connections to past events as required to be addressed in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills,â Paul Trevino, principal of H
daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
Dallas Independent School District teacher Jocelyn Foshay was guiding a social studies lesson with her middle school class about the amendment that protects Americans from unreasonable search and seizure.
“Where was the Fourth Amendment to protect Breonna Taylor?” a student asked her, referring to a Black woman who was shot and killed in her apartment by Louisville police officers during a botched raid in 2020.
Foshay turned the question back to her students. “What do you think?” she asked, allowing students to process their thoughts and draw their own conclusions.
Dallas Independent School District teacher Jocelyn Foshay was guiding a social studies lesson with her middle school class about the amendment that protects Americans from unreasonable search and seizure.
âWhere was the Fourth Amendment to protect Breonna Taylor?â a student asked her, referring to a Black woman who was shot and killed in her apartment by Louisville police officers during a botched raid in 2020.
Foshay turned the question back to her students. âWhat do you think?â she asked, allowing students to process their thoughts and draw their own conclusions.
These are the kinds of conversations and questions that teachers say are typical of students, especially in the past year as the news cycle has exploded with stories about race relations, injustice and inequity. These sorts of conversations about current events often can be teachable moments and exercises for critical thinking for young minds, educators say.
Texas educators say they’re concerned they won’t be able to have open conversations about what’s happening in the world if the Texas Legislature approves a bill that restricts how teachers can discuss current events in the classroom.
Texas educators worry bill limiting the teaching of current events and historic racism would whitewash history kztv10.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kztv10.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.