As parents and caregivers with connections to Texas schools, we strongly oppose the new laws signed by Governor Greg Abbott that prohibit educators from teaching about the history of systemic racism and settler colonialism and about social movements that have fought to achieve a more just and equal society. As parents and caregivers, we feel that our children—particularly those from Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities and from other communities of color—must see themselves reflected in our curriculum. We also believe that all children deserve access to a full, unrestricted account of history; to robust discussions of current events; and to the racial literacy skills needed to prepare them for college, for the workplace, and for democratic participation in our communities.

As parents we insist that there should be no political censorship of US history and current events curricula. Our children cannot understand their present without understanding the past. The passage of HB 3979 and SB 3 means that our children cannot learn, for example, the truth about key events in our nation’s history, such as the forced removal of Indigenous peoples from their lands; the Jim Crow laws that legalized racial segregation; Juneteenth, which has just been declared a national holiday; the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882; or Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of tens of thousands of US citizens of Japanese descent. Moreover, these new laws make it more difficult for our children to discuss the ethical concerns surrounding historical and current events and to have their voices heard in the classroom.

Learning about these complex histories can be uncomfortable, but we believe that failing to address them is damaging to everyone and that it perpetuates the traumas and inequities of the past. Knowing the truths of slavery and colonialism is not divisive: it will give our children the understanding they need to remediate systemic inequities and to bring us together. Teaching systemic racism helps our children see how and why access to housing, health services, education, wealth, clean water and air—aspects of life that are fundamental to freedom and happiness—remain severely curtailed along racial lines. Questions of race, justice, and equity, therefore, must be part of our children’s education if they are to learn from the past, take pride in the contributions of their communities, and conduct themselves responsibly in our multiracial society. Armed with knowledge and truth, we can all work in community for a better future.

We therefore stand in full solidarity with Texas teachers who teach the truth about U.S. History and current events and who encourage students to seek justice, equality, and freedom, especially for communities that continue to experience racist oppression. We call on school boards and school administrators to protect these teachers from racist attacks and to protect our students’ freedom of inquiry and access to knowledge.

Signed,

Katherine Gillen, parent SAISD, associate professor Texas A&M University - San Antonio
Kerry Sinanan, parent, assistant professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
Enrique Alemán, Jr., SAISD parent, professor of Education at Trinity University
Ana Ramón, IDRA
Habiba Noor, NEISD parent, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education at Trinity University
Luke Amphlett, teacher, San Antonio Alliance
Tahir Naqvi, NEISD parent, Associate Professor, Trinity University
Berenice Velazquez, SAISD parent
Lizbett Tinoco, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Amber Perryman, NEISD parent
Melissa Hoelscher
James Finley, SAISD parent, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Rosalinda Sabin, SCUC parent
Alison Leal, Boerne ISD, RN BSN
Samantha Roman, SAISD parent
J.C. Heygood, IDEA Public Schools parent
Pamela Sandifer, NISD
Charlie Hornes, The Reverend, Judson ISD
Alison N Vasquez, MFA, Boerne ISD parent, Instructor of Theatre, San Antonio College
Teresa Morrison, NEISD parent; Associate Director, McNair Scholars Program, Trinity University
Rebekah Ozuna, Austin ISD, Ed Austin
Snehal Shingavi, Associate Professor, UT Austin
Sarah Sorensen, Board Trustee, SAISD parent
Banafsheh Madaninejad, PhD, AISD parent, Executive Director of I-AMM.org
Sakib Shaikh, SAISD parent
Celia Mendoza, NEISD parent
Emily Baker, SAISD parent
Sarah Gallagher, Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, SAISD
Esther V. Garza, Northside ISD parent, Associate Professor Texas A&M-SA
Sarah Beth Kaufman, SAISD parent, Associate Professor of Sociology at Trinity University
David L. Garza, SAISD parent and teacher
YonHui Bell, SAISD/NEISD parent/educator
Crystal Dávila, Teacher in HISD/Board Trustee in Pasadena ISD
Renee Matos, MD, MPH, Asst. Dean Quality Improvement & Patient Safety, SAUSHEC; Assoc. Professor, USU, NEISD
Gretchen Murphy, AISD parent, professor of English, UT-Austin
Abra Schnur, NEISD parent, University Archivist, Trinity University
Rosa Borroel, SAISD parent, Pre-K teacher
Merritt Rehn-DeBraal, SWISD parent, Lecturer, Texas A&M San Antonio
Nicholas Rehn-DeBraal, SWISD parent
Roxanne Evans, Austin ISD, Co-chair, East Austin Coalition for Quality Education
Michelle Pina, SAISD
Alex Birnel, SAISD community member
Kelly Chandler, Faculty, Northwest Vista College
Tiffany Puett, AISD parent, Executive Director, Institute for Diversity & Civic Life, Austin ISD
Laurie Duke, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD parent
Gladys Cosio-Burger, NEISD community member, retired teacher
Kathryn Vomero Santos, Assistant Professor of English, Trinity University
Yvette Changuin Humble, SAISD parent
Sean Bertrand, Round Rock, concerned citizen
Michelle Palmer, Aldine, History teacher  
Neil Shanks, Waco ISD parent, Clinical Faculty Baylor University
Katharine Arb, AISD parent
Heather Haynes Smith, SAISD parent, Associate Professor, Trinity University Dept. Of Education
Erin Aparicio, SAISD teacher
Surabhi Kukke, AISD parent
Adriana Abundis, San Antonio ISD maestra
Dr. Suzanne Jones, Texas Faculty Association, Professor
Aaron Patiño, SWISD parent & educator
Cassandra Neace, Aldine ISD teacher
Emily Sawyer, Austin ISD, parent
Rita Abbenante, SAISD parent
Juliette, SAISD parent
Glenaan O'Neil, Austin ISD parent
Matthew O'Neil, Austin ISD parent
Janel Galindo, SAISD parent
Micah Galindo, SAISD parent
Cassandra Torres, SAISD parent
Victoria Mora, Austin ISD parent
Gerard Robledo, MFA, SAISD parent, San Antonio College faculty
Eliza Epstein, Ethnic Studies Network of Texas
Karo Gomez, advocate, SMCISD
Alysa Medina, BISD parent
Stacey Jones Connelly, NEISD parent, Associate Professor of Theatre at Trinity University
Denise Rosales, Fort Worth ISD parent
Natalie Clifford, Vice President, Harlandale Education Association, San Antonio ISD resident
Laura Richards, SAISD
Tessa Baden, SAISD parent, Education Consultant,
Jessica Sanchez, SAISD parent
Sara Schmidt, Alamo Colleges educator, SAISD
Anya Sorensen, SAISD
Judith Norman, SAISD and NEISD parent, professor
Erin Perez, SAISD parent
Kathleen Gomez, Brooks Academy parent and staff member at St. Mary's University
Yvette Chairez, NISD parent, PhD Candidate, University of Texas at San Antonio
Jack Ayres, parent, associate professor, Texas A&M University - San Antonio
Danielle Murray AISD parent
Karem Said,  CISD parent, Lecturer, University of Houston
Adrianna M. Santos, NEISD parent
Jennifer Tobias, SAISD parent
Emily Robbins, SAISD parent, educator
Mary Guerrero, SAISD
Frederick Z. Culverhouse, AHISD, Associate Professor, Univ. of the Incarnate Word
Kendra Garza, SAISD, educator
Dr. Lizette Goodloe, NEISD, Behind the Whistle
Dr. William Goodloe, NEISD, Behind the Whistle
Monica McLane, Northside ISD
Samuel Durandard, SAISD parent
Rebecca Centeno, concerned tía, video journalist
Wanda Longoria,  NISD, retired teacher, President of Northside AFT
Melina Espiritu-Azocar NISD parent, educator, organizer
Charnell Boone, NEISD parent
Jeri-Ashley Bremer NEISD parent and educator
John Harry Gunkel, SAISD resident, voter, retired pediatrician
Angelica Cortez,  NEISD parent
Erika Reyna, MAA, Great Hearts
Denise L. Moore, MS, Ed., NISD
Connie Swann, SAISD parent
Lena Ozuna, SAISD and HISD parent and resident
Nirav Mehta, SAISD parent
Jennifer Rowe, AHISD, Trinity University
Khalid Hafiz, Allen ISD resident
Liana Benavides, NEISD Parent  
Christina Perez, SAISD
Stephanie Acuna, Great Hearts parent
Christina Leal, Great Hearts parent
Trish Florence, NEISD parent
Jolene DesRoches, SCUC parent, educator, and therapist
Laura Turchi, HISD parent, University of Houston faculty
Chaitali Sen, Round Rock ISD, former first grade teacher
Eleonore Lee, SAISD & NEISD parent, artist, and educator
Stevan Zivadinovic, SAISD parent, artist, out of school time instructor (New Media @ SAY Sí)
Rachell Tucker, SAISD resident
Julia Torres MS Ed, NISD parent, former educator, mechanic
Eliza Murray, NISD parent
Michelle Ramirez, NISD
David Bogle SAISD resident, parent of NEISD graduate
Nathaniel Torres, SAISD, concerned brother
Anahita Lorestani, Alamo Heights, parent and educator
Linda Cortez, SAISD parent
Will Rivera, Southside ISD, educator
Sarah Sauer, SAISD artist and community member
Barbara Hill, education administrator
Leslie Cunningham McKinney ISD and Dripping Springs ISD grandparent
Emily Waters, Austin ISD parent
Gloria Ramos-Cortes, parent, Archdiocese, San Antonio
Au Huynh, CyFair ISD parent
Rachel Jackson, music specialist, SAISD
Sarah Aburumuh, NISD teacher
Yvette Pena, NEISD humanities teacher
Martina Van Norden, CEO& Charter School Board Member
Maria Burford, SAISD parent
Jovanni Reyes, NEISD parent
Kono McNeil, retired military, NEISD
Jovanni Reyes, NEISD parent  
Eustace Lewis, medical education training
Ricardo Henriquez, NEISD  uncle
Eustace Lewis, Fort Sam Houston ISD, Instructional Systems Specialist
Chavel Lopez, Hondo ISD, Hondo Empowerment Committee
Gerardo Marin, racilitator, Northwest Crossing
Marisol Cortez, SAISD parent
Laura Huete, MD
Melinda Fagin, ormer DISD student and parent.
Nathalie Steinfeld Childre, AISD parent
Kim Manuel, FWISD parent
Melissa Wood, NEISD
Lori Heilig, PISD parent
Claire McLain, GISD parent