A new Texas law outlining exactly how social studies may be taught in public schools has introduced widespread confusion because of Republican politicians’ overbroad attempt to ban critical race theory from classrooms. The confusion reached such a level of absurdity that a Dallas-area school interpreted the new law, House Bill 3979, to mean that teachers must present opposing views regarding the Holocaust.
The law is written in a way that could lead teachers and administrators to believe that students who bring up topics related to neo-Nazism and white supremacy must be given a voice in social studies instruction. Teachers and administrators are specifically forbidden from disciplining any students who raise controversial points of view.
“A school district or open-enrollment charter school may not implement, interpret, or enforce any rules or student code of conduct in a manner that would result in the punishment of a student for discussing, or have a chilling effect on student discussion of” issues such as racism, the law states. It states that teachers may not “require an understanding” of The New York Times’ 1619 Project.
