Texas orders districts to audit, fix school security issues

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — State officials on Thursday ordered local school districts across Texas to audit and correct security deficiencies at their schools before the start of the next school year. The Texas Education Agency issued directives requiring the districts “to support the...

Some Texas schools may call slavery 'involuntary relocation'

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Public schools in Texas would describe slavery to second graders as “involuntary relocation” under new social studies standards proposed to the state's education board. A group of nine educators submitted the idea to the State Board of Education as part of...

Judge to block Florida abortion ban; Kentucky ban on hold

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge said Thursday that he will temporarily block a 15-week ban on abortions in his state, but his bench ruling won't take effect before the ban becomes law Friday — an issue that could cause confusion for patients as well as abortion providers. ...

Abortion ruling prompts variety of reactions from states

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion. The ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states, although the timing of those laws taking effect varies. Some Republican-led...

California advances Texas-style lawsuits over illegal guns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California legislators on Monday approved Texas-style lawsuits over illegal guns, mimicking the Lone Star State's law aimed at deterring abortions and obliquely linking the two most controversial U.S. Supreme Court decisions from last week. The California...

Editorial Roundup: Texas

Austin American-Statesman. June 26, 2022. Editorial: It’s time to close the dead suspect loophole In the aftermath of the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, families of the victims in Uvalde have pleaded with law enforcement for a full accounting of a...

LGBTQ youth of faith retell their stories to inspire others

Sabrina Hodak grew up in a Modern Jewish Orthodox family but only truly embraced Judaism at age 16, around the same time she understood she was bisexual. It was an upsetting and confusing time, because the same religious mentors who helped her strengthen her beliefs kept saying her...

Uvalde victim's sister pleads for tougher gun laws in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Well before the sun came up Thursday, Jazmin Cazares sat on her sister’s bed and wept for the 9-year-old killed in the Uvalde school rampage one month ago. Then the teenager with purple-streaked hair got up for the four-hour drive to the Texas Capitol, where...

Sister of girl killed in Uvalde school mass shooting begs Texas legislators to pass gun safety legislation

Uvalde school police chief on leave after mass shooting

DALLAS (AP) — The Uvalde school district’s police chief was put on leave Wednesday following allegations that he erred in his response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District...