Education
BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR, DANICA LLOYD & HANNAH NORTON
Library policy revised Parents called for transparency as Cy-Fair ISD’s board discussed updating the district’s library materials policy in June. What’s changing? Under the revised policy, the board would have ultimate authority to approve books librarians want to add to their collections. CFISD General Counsel Marney Collins Sims said this language is consistent with the law and was added to clear up confusion. Proposed revisions also include listing books librarians want to purchase online for public review 30 days before acquisition. Five days before that posting, the board would get to preview those lists. Sims said this provision is not required by law but was set by the board policy review committee—trustees Todd LeCompte, Lucas Scanlon and Scott Henry. Trustee Julie Hinaman requested several clarications be added before nal approval in August. Sims said the board policy review committee will review her recommenda- tions at their next meeting in July and con- sider incorporating those clarications into the policy before nal approval in August.
Cy-Fair ISD trustees Natalie Blasingame, Christine Kalmbach and Julie Hinaman listen to speakers at the June 17 meeting.
DANICA LLOYDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Teacher ghts science textbook censorship Alicia Royer, a science teacher at Cypress Falls High School for 30 years, led a formal complaint against the Cy-Fair ISD board for violating a policy that states the board should rely on district personnel to select instructional material. Trustee Natalie Blasingame requested the removal of 13 chapters from a list of 25 textbooks the board was tasked to approve May 6 due to “controversial” topics in the content, such as climate change and vaccines. The measure passed in a 6-1 vote with minimal discussion that did not include input from teachers. Cy-Fair nonprots collect school supplies Cy-Fair Helping Hands and Cypress Assistance Ministries are collecting school supplies this summer. The details Donations can be dropped o at CFHH, 9204 Emmott Road, Houston, and at CAM, 12930 Cypress N. Houston Road, Cypress. Visit www.cyfairhelpinghands.org or www.cypressassistance.org to see the full list of needs and additional details.
At a June 13 meeting, Royer said she served on an instructional materials committee that reviewed and selected 2024-25 textbooks from a list approved by the State Board of Education. What happened At the June 17 board meeting, dozens of com- munity members urged the board to reinstate the approved textbook chapters. However, the board voted 6-1 again to uphold their original decision. In both votes, Trustee Julie Hinaman was the only one to vote against the measure. Despite censoring students’ textbooks, teachers will still cover concepts in the state’s curriculum standards, which students are tested on each year. Ocials said educators could use existing material to write their curriculum, but those textbooks are now 10 years old. Gov. Abbott disregards new Title IX protections Gov. Greg Abbott directed Texas’ public univer- sities and community colleges on May 8 to ignore new Title IX regulations that expand protections for LGBTQ+ students. The governor gave similar direction to the Texas Education Agency, which oversees public K-12 schools, on April 29. The overview Title IX, a federal civil rights law passed in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination at federally funded colleges and K-12 schools. An expanded version of the law, which is set to take eect Aug. 1, bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. In a letter to college and university leaders, Abbott said the updated rules “[contradict] the original purpose and spirit of the law to support the advancement of women.”
“President Biden wants to force every school across the country to treat boys and men as if they were girls and women, and to accept every student’s self-declared gender identity, exceeding his authority as president in order to impose a leftist belief on the next generation.” GOV. GREG ABBOTT
Attorney General Ken Paxton sued President Joe Biden’s administration to block the changes. Several other Republican-led states have led
similar suits. More details
Items being collected include:
The expanded Title IX rules say schools can- not discriminate against LGBTQ+ students and employees; must provide reasonable accommo- dations for pregnant students; and must oer support for those experiencing sexual violence and harassment.
Clear and regular backpacks Pencils, pens, markers, colored pencils and crayons Binders, folders and notebook paper
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CYPRESS EDITION
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