Tag Archives: SBOE

Interview with Michelle Palmer

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

What can you say about the State Board of Education? Sometimes they lie dormant, and sometimes they go full-on whackadoo. That’s where we are now, and so another thing you could say about the SBOE is that it would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged Election 2026, interviews, Michelle Palmer, SBOE, Texas | Comments Off

So we’re just mandating Christianity now

Posted on June 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Please tell me there are lawsuits in the works for this. The State Board of Education gave the final greenlight to Bible-infused school standards on Friday after months of intense debate, enshrining Christianity as part of classroom instruction for all 5.5 million students … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Brandon Hall, Election 2026, Evelyn Brooks, Fort Bend Coalition for Justice, Freedom From Religion Foundation, SBOE, schools, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

HISD accepts state’s bribe to adopt Bluebonnet curriculum

Posted on June 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Absolutely infuriating. Houston ISD’s state-appointed board of managers voted unanimously Thursday to adopt the state-developed Bluebonnet curriculum, which has drawn controversy for its inclusion of Bible teachings but could bring the district millions in new state funding. The move to … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Bluebonnet Learning, Board of Managers, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, SBOE, Texas Education Agency, The Lege | 1 Comment

What to expect with redistricting in Texas in 2027

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It’s too soon to say. “When the U.S. Supreme Court rules in the Louisiana v. Callais case that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional, Texas will take up redistricting again (Congressional, Texas Senate and Texas House),” Rep. … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Cody Vasut, Congress, Dan Patrick, David Spiller, Election 2026, Election 2028, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, Phil King, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Senate, Texas, The Lege, Todd Hunter, voter suppression, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

The full slate

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In case you hadn’t heard. A Democrat is running in every state and federal race on the Texas ballot next year, the first time in modern state history that either party has fielded a full slate of candidates, according to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, Congress, Democratic primary, Election 2026, Greg Abbott, Harris County, judicial races, Kendall Scudder, SBOE, Senate, TDP, Texas, Texas Majority PAC, The Lege, Wendy Davis | 1 Comment

How aggressive will Dems be in legislative races?

Posted on December 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is a good start, but I hope they ratchet it up from there. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the party’s national arm that targets legislative races, announced Wednesday that it plans to put resources into Texas next year for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, Christina Morales, Collin County, Congress, Dallas County, Denton County, DLCC, Donald Trump, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, Election 2026, Harris County, HD108, HD112, HD118, HD121, HD133, HD138, HD34, HD37, HDCC, SBOE, Senate, Tarrant County, TDP, Texas, The Lege | 3 Comments

Book ban law permanently enjoined

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Very good. A Waco federal judge has permanently blocked Texas from enforcing the key provision of a 2023 law restricting the content of school library books, ruling Wednesday that a requirement that vendors rate each title for sexual explicitness … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2026, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SCOTUS, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 3 Comments

The other redistricting matter

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story from the Fort Worth Report on the redistricting trial going on in El Paso, with a focus on the effect in Tarrant County. Federal judges in El Paso are reviewing a lawsuit that alleges Texas redistricting architects … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Alabama, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association, Attorney General, Beverly Powell, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Emgage, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, MALC, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas Section, National Redistricting Foundation, OCA Houston, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, SD10, Senate, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Long-awaited Texas redistricting trial begins

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Been waiting a long time for this one. Questions over whether Latinos had their voting power diminished in the Dallas area will be a focus of a federal trial in El Paso that begins Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Al Green, Alabama, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association, Attorney General, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Emgage, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, Greg Abbott, Jasmine Crockett, Justice Department, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, MALC, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas Section, National Redistricting Foundation, OCA Houston, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Senate, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 5 Comments

Some plaintiffs drop out of redistricting litigation

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate but not unexpected. Two months before a scheduled trial, a coalition of voting rights groups is withdrawing from a long-running challenge to the political maps Texas drew after the 2020 U.S. census, which the groups said diluted the voting power of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association, Attorney General, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Emgage, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, MALC, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas Section, OCA Houston, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Senate, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Justice Department drops Texas redistricting lawsuit

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. The U.S. Justice Department withdrew from a lawsuit alleging that Texas’ legislative and congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 U.S. census discriminated against Latino and Black voters by denying them an equal opportunity to participate … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Election 2026, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, filing deadline, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, lawsuit, LULAC, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Precinct analysis: President 2024

Posted on December 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know you’ve been waiting for this, and now here it is, the 2024 precinct data for Harris County. We’ll start at the top, with the Presidential race. Dist Trump Harris Lib Grn ========================================= CD02 101,141 73,399 1,112 1,027 CD07 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Adrian Garcia, CD02, CD07, CD18, CD29, CD38, Commissioners Court, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2022, Election 2024, Election 2026, Fort Bend County, Harris County, HD144, Kamala Harris, Mary Ann Perez, Montgomery County, precinct analysis, President, redistricting, SBOE, SD06, SD07, SD15, Senate, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

SBOE to support “Bible-infused curriculum”

Posted on November 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What could possibly go wrong? A majority of the Texas State Board of Education signaled their support Tuesday for a state-authored curriculum under intense scrutiny in recent months for its heavy inclusion of biblical teachings. Ahead of an official vote … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Aicha Davis, Bluebonnet Learning, Evelyn Brooks, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, Leslie Recine, Pam Little, Patricia Hardy, SBOE, Staci Childs, Texas, Texas Education Agency, textbooks, Tiffany Clark | 4 Comments

Well, that sucked

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about 10:30 PM as I write this, and I don’t care to stay up any longer. The national situation looks dicey, but it’s not yet clear what will happen. I’ll put that off for now. It was bad here … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged abortion, Amarillo, Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance, bond referendum, CD34, Colin Allred, Congress, Donald Trump, Ed Gonzalez, Election 2024, Harris County, Harris County Sheriff, HISD, judicial races, Kamala Harris, President, SBOE, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas, The Lege, Vicente Gonzalez | 22 Comments

Book ban law stays blocked

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Key portions of a law signed last year by Gov. Greg Abbott requiring booksellers to rate books for sexual content when selling to schools will not go into effect after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday declined … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SCOTUS, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 1 Comment

Fifth Circuit upholds injunction in book rating lawsuit

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday blocked a new Texas law that requires bookstores to rate books for sexual content and prohibits any deemed “sexually explicit” from the state’s public schools. A panel of three judges … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 3 Comments

Fifth Circuit has its book rating lawsuit hearing

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It looks like it might have…gone well? I am cautiously hopeful. Federal appellate judges Wednesday questioned a new Texas law requiring book sellers to rate the explicitness and relevance of sexual references in materials they sell to schools, though it … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 1 Comment

Do unto public schools as you would not do to charter schools

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Infuriating, but hardly surprising. In June, Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath embarked on the largest school takeover in recent history, firing the governing board and the superintendent of the Houston Independent School District after one of its more than … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged charter, Eastex-Jensen Neighborhood School, HISD, HISD Board of Trustees, Mike Morath, Paul Bettencourt, SBOE, schools, Texas, Texas Education Agency, The Lege, vouchers | Comments Off

Two book ban updates

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Bad news. A state law banning “sexually explicit” books from Texas schools will now go into effect, after an appeals court temporarily blocked a lower court ruling. The three-judge panel did not offer any reasoning. Their decision is temporary until … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Dawn Champagne, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, HD106, Jared Patterson, Katy, Katy ISD, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, libraries, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, Rebecca Fox, SBOE, school libraries, schools, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege, Victor Perez | Comments Off

Book ban lawsuit opinion released

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a strong one, not that that will mean anything to the troglodyte nihilists at the Fifth Circuit. In temporarily blocking enforcement of a new Texas law that limits books with sexual content in school libraries, a federal judge called … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 6 Comments

Book rating law blocked

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge said Thursday he will stop a new Texas law aimed at keeping sexually explicit materials off of school library shelves on the eve of the law going into effect, according to state attorneys and lawyers for … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2024, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 1 Comment

The bookstores’ view of the book rating lawsuit

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Some useful context from one of the plaintiffs in that lawsuit challenging a new “book rating” law. When Valerie Koehler bought Blue Willow Bookshop, she wanted to offer an expansive selection of children’s books. “We made it our mission to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Angela Paxton, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Election 2024, HD106, Jared Patterson, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, SD08, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | Comments Off

Booksellers sue over new book rating law

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

These lawsuits, they are starting to pile up. A coalition of Texas bookstores and national bookseller associations filed suit on Tuesday over House Bill 900, which aims to ban sexually explicit material from school libraries. HB 900 passed in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged American Booksellers Association, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Blue Willow Bookshop, BookPeople, Books, censorship, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Keven Ellis, lawsuit, Martha Wong, Mike Morath, SBOE, school libraries, Texas, Texas Education Agency, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Lege | 2 Comments

Another look at Texas redistricting litigation after the Alabama SCOTUS ruling

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

An explainer from the Trib. The state faces an assortment of legal challenges to its congressional and statehouse maps, including allegations of intentional discrimination, vote dilution and racial gerrymandering. For example: In the Rio Grande Valley, the plaintiffs allege map-drawers … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Alabama, Commissioners Court, Congress, Election 2022, Election 2024, Galveston, Georgia, lawsuit, Louisiana, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Will the SCOTUS ruling on Alabama redistricting affect Texas?

Posted on June 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start here. In a surprise win for voting rights activists, the U.S. Supreme Court breathed new life into the Civil Rights Act and may have paved the way to end Texas’s gerrymandered district. The case, Allen v. Milligan, came … Continue reading →

Precinct analysis: State Senate and SBOE 2022

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: State House 2022 A comparison with 2012 Congress 2022 As with Congress there won’t be much to see here. The fewer the districts, the more precise the redistricting can be. Here’s the State Senate: Dist Abbott Abb% Beto Beto% … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged Angela Paxton, Eddie Lucio, Election 2022, Election 2024, Morgan LaMantia, precinct analysis, redistricting, SBOE, SD02, SD07, SD08, SD09, SD11, SD12, SD19, SD20, SD21, SD25, SD27, Senate, Texas | Comments Off

What I want from the next HCDP Chair

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the Harris County Democratic Party will soon have a new Chair. And as you know, I am a Democratic precinct chair, which means I’m one of the several hundred people that will vote on who that is. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Beto O'Rourke, Brazoria County, CD02, CD22, Chambers County, Congress, Ed Gonzalez, Election 2012, Election 2016, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, First Court of Appeals, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, HCDP, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Liberty County, Mike Doyle, Montgomery County, Odus Evbagharu, SBOE, SD07, SD17, Senate, Silvia Mintz, Texas, turnout, voter suppression, Waller County | 3 Comments

It’s re-redistricting time

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

More amusing than alarming, with a bit of annoying as well. The Texas Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to again take up the decennial process of redrawing the boundaries of the state’s political districts a year and a half after … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Census, Constitution, Joan Huffman, lawsuit, redistricting, Roland Gutierrez, Sarah Eckhardt, SBOE, Senate, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

Omnibus 2022 election results post

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s already midnight as I start writing this. I’m just going to do the highlights with the best information I have at this time. – Nationally, Dems are doing pretty well, all things considered. As of this writing, Dems had … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged absentee ballots, Adrian Garcia, Beto O'Rourke, bond referendum, bonds, CD15, CD28, CD34, Clifford Tatum, Commissioners Court, Congress, early voting, Election 2022, Election Day, Governor, Greg Abbott, Harris County, Harris County Judge, HD118, HD37, HD70, HD92, Houston, judicial races, lawsuit, Lesley Briones, Lina Hidalgo, provisional ballots, SBOE, SD27, Senate, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege, turnout | 13 Comments

Endorsement watch: Yeah, I’m still mad

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that Chuck Crews endorsement I thought we were going to get on Wednesday instead of that giant turd the Chron gifted us with. State Rep. Briscoe Cain’s three terms in the Texas House could charitably be described as harmful … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged Audrey Young, Briscoe Cain, Chuck Crews, Don Hochman, Election 2022, endorsements, HD128, Michelle Palmer, SBOE, Texas, The Lege, Will Hickman | 5 Comments

Interview with Michelle Palmer

Posted on September 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Day After Labor Day! It is now officially campaign season, and that means it is also now officially Candidate Interview Season. (It’s also Judicial Candidate Q&A season, which you’ve already seen.) I’ll have a lineup of interviews to bring … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged Election 2022, interviews, Michelle Palmer, SBOE, Texas | Comments Off

All interviews and judicial Q&As with nominees so far

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Back in February, right before the primary, I posted a list of all of the candidate interviews and judicial Q&As I had done. A couple more Q&A responses came in after that, and I did some further interviews for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Andrea Beall, Andrew Wright, Angela Lancelin, Beverly Armstrong, Carla Wyatt, CD38, Cheri Thomas, Chris Morton, Commissioners Court, Comptroller, Congress, Damiane Curvey Banieh, Dedra Davis, District Clerk, Dolores Lozano, Duncan Klussmann, Election 2022, Erika Ramirez, Gemayel Haynes, Harris County, Harris County Treasurer, HD147, Hilary Unger, interviews, Janet Dudding, Jay Kleberg, John Whitmire, Jolanda Jones, Justice of the Peace, Katherine Thomas, Kelley Andrews, Land Commissioner, Leah Shapiro, Lesley Briones, Lucia Bates, Manpreet Singh, Marilyn Burgess, Natalia Oakes, Porscha Brown, Q&A, SBOE, SD15, Senate, Staci Childs, Steve Duble, Teresa Waldrop, Texas, The Lege, Veronica Nelson | 3 Comments

Of course the redistricting lawsuit trial will be delayed

Posted on September 3, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

All we ever get is delays. The legal fight over the shape of Texas political representation for the next decade won’t be decided until next year after a federal panel agreed Tuesday to delay a trial over new political maps. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, filing deadline, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, lawsuit, LULAC, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Redistricting plaintiffs get a win on discovery

Posted on August 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Every little bit helps. A federal judge on Monday issued a wide-ranging discovery order requiring Texas state lawmakers to turn over documents related to the state’s congressional redistricting plans. The underlying lawsuit, filed by the League of United Latin American … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Congress, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Department, LULAC, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

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