TEXAS, USA — In 2025, the state of Texas is scheduled to review all the history courses taught in public schools.
And at least one member of the Texas Board of Education fears that what started in Florida could find its way to Texas.
In recent weeks, the Florida Board of Education approved new standards for how Black history should be taught in public schools, including teaching how slaves developed some skills they could use for “personal benefit.”
Aicha Davis, a Texas Board member from Dallas, says she’s ready for similar language to try to seep into Texas standards a couple of years from now.
“Very disappointed that history is becoming so distorted, to say something as egregious as that,” Davis told us on Inside Texas Politics. “We do have our standards review for history in 2025, and so I will be anticipating some of that language may be offered up in Texas. But very disappointed and will definitely be on the watch to make sure that doesn’t come to Texas.”
Davis is hoping the Board can instead focus on more productive efforts in the coming years.
And she pointed to the social studies curriculum for African Americans passed unanimously by the board in 2020 as a major success story.
“We have districts everywhere across Texas who are adopting it, thousands of students that are enrolled in the course. And it’s growing every year,” she said.
And she says that program has opened the door for other innovative courses that examine different cultures, helping students see themselves when they learn.
That includes a new Native American social studies program being piloted in Grand Prairie ISD.
As for the upcoming school year scheduled to start in just a couple of weeks in some areas, Davis expects the library book battle to continue.
“Unfortunately books still are under attack,” Davis said. “But you have more people who are coming to defense.”