⚖️🚫 Trump Administration Raises Legal Concerns Over Shelters Helping Migrants
😔🔫 Texas Bill Aims to Address Police Failures and Improve School Shooting Response after Uvalde 📚🔒 Texas House Approves Bill Giving Parents and School Boards More Control Over Library Books
📚🔒 Texas House Approves Bill Giving Parents and School Boards More Control Over Library Books
Ayden Runnels, The Texas Tribune.- The Texas House has approved Senate Bill 13, which would give parents and school boards more control over school library books. Under the bill, school boards, rather than librarians, would make final decisions on what books are allowed in public school libraries. The bill also mandates the creation of advisory councils if 20% of parents in a district sign a petition. Opponents worry the bill could lead to broad book bans, with critics pointing to the subjective language around "community values" and "indecent content." Proponents argue that the bill will better reflect community standards and give parents a stronger voice. The bill, which also expands a law passed in 2023 to keep sexually explicit material out of schools, now moves back to the Senate for final approval.
Key Data:
Bill gives school boards control over library book decisions.
Advisory councils created if 20% of parents petition.
Critics worry about vague language and potential for book bans.
Over 500 books were banned in Texas schools in 2023-24.
The bill extends 2023 regulations on sexually explicit materials.
⚖️🚫 Trump Administration Raises Legal Concerns Over Shelters Helping Migrants at U.S.-Mexico Border
AP.- The Trump administration's recent letter to border shelters has left many nonprofit organizations scrambling. The letter from FEMA raised concerns that providing temporary housing and aid to migrants could be considered illegal under a law used to prosecute human smugglers. The shelters, which have long worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have faced financial hardship as they continue to care for people released from detention. Catholic Charities in Laredo, Texas, for instance, had to close its shelter in April due to the loss of federal funding. Despite the concerns, many organizations continue to assist migrants, believing it is their duty to provide care. The situation underscores the tension between federal immigration policies and the critical support offered by nonprofits. With FEMA suspending payments and launching investigations, shelters are left facing both financial and legal uncertainties.
😔🔫 Texas Bill Aims to Address Police Failures and Improve School Shooting Response after Uvalde
Jeremy Wallace, The Texas Tribune.- Three years after the tragic Uvalde school massacre, Texas lawmakers are working to prevent future tragedies by addressing police failures. The Texas Senate is on the verge of passing House Bill 33, which mandates increased training for law enforcement officers and demands improved coordination between agencies during school shooting incidents. Lawmakers, including state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, have criticized the delays and disorganization that contributed to the deaths of 19 children and two teachers. In Uvalde, nearly 400 officers waited over an hour without entering the classrooms where some children were still alive. The new bill aims to ensure better preparation and a more coordinated, effective response in the future. Advocates and lawmakers stress the importance of learning from the mistakes of May 24, 2022, to prevent such failures in the future.