Texas House adds MLK and Frederick Douglass speeches to bill that would mandate teaching “informed American patriotism” – By Megan Menchaca (Texas Tribune) / May 13 2021
House Bill 4509 would mandate that students study documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers. The bill’s author added speeches from Black historical figures after criticism at a hearing last month.
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The Texas House has advanced legislation that would require K-12 school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to teach “informed American patriotism” through the founding documents of the U.S. starting in the 2021-22 school year.
The House passed House Bill 4509, by state Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, by a voice vote Thursday afternoon. It will need one more vote before it can be sent to the Texas Senate, which has already approved the similar Senate Bill 2026, authored by state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood.
HB 4509 would, among other things, mandate that students study documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers to promote understanding of the “fundamental moral principles” of the country.
Before voting on the bill Thursday, the House adopted an amendment proposed by Bonnen to include speeches by Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech as part of the required texts mentioned in the bill. That came after criticism that the bill initially focused on writings by white historical figures
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