Every student has the right to learn in an environment where they feel valued and can think for themselves. This fundamental promise of our democracy is under attack in Texas.
Education that reflects and affirms all students prepares them to thrive in our diverse state. Yet, Texas schools have become increasingly unwelcoming, even hostile, to LGBTQIA+, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and religious minority students. Certain politicians have launched a coordinated campaign to target and exclude these students through politically motivated book bans, classroom censorship, anti-trans policies, outdated dress codes, and other forms of discrimination.
The ACLU of Texas is grateful to work with our partners and coalitions like Teach the Truth, Texans for the Right to Read, and the Equality Coalition to stop these harmful attacks.
Each one of us has a role to play in ensuring that Texas students get a quality education in an inclusive environment — free from unconstitutional government overreach.
WITNESS
Students in Texas face a litany of harms that threaten the education, mental health, and future of all young people in Texas. But students, educators, and advocates are fighting back and creating ways for young people to thrive as their true and authentic selves.
Witness what Texas students have to share about the books that inspire them, their experiences at school, and their visions for the future:
Madison (she/her) — 12th Grade
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| Sydney (she/her) — 11th grade
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Keikoá (he/him) — 6th Grade
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| Cam (they/them) — College
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Zeil (they/them) — 9th Grade
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| Arshia (he/him) — 12th Grade
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LEARN
Know Your Rights
- Know the rights that students have at school
- Understand the rights that LGBTQIA+ and all students have in Texas (TX Trans Kids)
- Access a resource used by Katy ISD students for schools implementing anti-trans "gender policies"
Access the recording of a back-to-school webinar for LGBTQIA+ students and parents (TX Trans Kids)
Access the recording of a back-to-school webinar for educators
- Learn about political and free speech rights at school
- Listen to a podcast episode about free speech in the classroom
- Understand what students can do if they’re being bullied, cyberbullied, or harassed
- Help welcome immigrant students at school (IDRA)
- Explore strategies to tackle systemic issues in Texas schools (IDRA)
Book Bans and Classroom Censorship
- Understand S.B. 3, Texas’ classroom censorship law (IDRA)
- Follow the rapid evolution of classroom censorship laws nationwide
- Get our fact sheet on book ban H.B. 900
- Explore books being challenged or banned in Texas schools (Houston Chronicle)
- Listen to a podcast episode about the ongoing battle to keep politicians from banning books
- Access past reports of banned books in Texas since 2001
- Read letters urging Granbury, Katy, Klein, and North East ISDs to return banned books
- Consult this messaging on how to speak about equity in schools (We Make The Future)
Dress Codes and Discrimination
- Access our letter urging Texas public school districts to end race-based hair discrimination by complying with the CROWN Act
- Share this video about the importance of the CROWN Act
- Access our letter calling on school boards to reject unlicensed religious chaplains in Texas public schools
- Get our fact sheet on S.B. 763 allowing public schools to hire unlicensed religious chaplains
- Share this video about the motivations for putting chaplains in schools
- Share this video from a former chaplain about the dangers of religious coercion
- Access our letter sent to school administrators about updating discriminatory dress codes
- Discover the story of how Texas students fought gender-based discrimination in court
- Unpack the lies fueling attacks on transgender youth
ACT
Students and Advocates
- Defend your rights at school using this toolkit (TX Trans Kids)
Report book bans and censorship at Texas schools with both Teach the Truth and the American Library Association
Report other instances of discrimination at Texas schools through our intake form
Take action against book bans with this toolkit (United Against Book Bans)
- Use this toolkit and messaging to combat classroom censorship efforts near you
- Use this student advocacy guide to make sure schools do right by students (Children's Defense Fund)
- Advocate with transgender youth for welcoming schools in Texas (TX Trans Kids)
- Learn how to speak at a school board meeting and more (FReadom Fighters)
- Join the movement to #TeachTheTruth (Texas Freedom Network)
Educators
- Find teaching tools and get email alerts about working for equity (IDRA)
- Fill out this survey for educators on the impact of school censorship (IDRA)
The ACLU of Texas has a long history of advocating with and for students, including our efforts to oppose the censorship of banned books and demand they be returned to the shelves, stop harassment of transgender students, change discriminatory dress codes across the state, and end the School to Prison Pipeline.