The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments.  

• There’s an election Tuesday, in case you hadn’t heard.
• What’s at stake for Abbott in this election
• Paxton files lawsuits against four school districts for electioneering
• Save on virtual cannabis awareness & prevention workshop presented by the Stanford REACH Lab

VOTING: When polls opened Friday—the last day of early voting in the March 2024 Texas primaries—not even 8% of the state’s more than 17.9 million registered voters had cast ballots. If you are not among the 1.4 million Texans who have voted, your time to have a voice in this election is quickly dwindling. Polling places close at 7 p.m. Friday, so if you miss the Early Voting window, you will need to vote Tuesday. Here are a few key tips: 

• Visit www.votetexas.gov to find your polling location. In some counties, you may be able to vote in multiple locations. Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. 
• Be sure to bring your photo ID with you to the polls. 
• You cannot use a smartphone inside the polling place. Research candidates here at ATPE’s TeachtheVote.org, then use the League of Women Voters’ www.vote411.org website to create a printable sample ballot you can use when you vote. 
• Voting is better with a friend! Ask your friends and family to join you at the polls. 

ABBOTT: This article by the Houston Chronicle’s Edward McKinley takes a thorough look at the interest of Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in this election (something we’ve also covered here on Teach the Vote). And this article from The Texas Tribune offers additional clues as to the governor’s relatively recent focus on private school vouchers, which he only began strongly pushing in 2022. 

PAXTON: Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against Denton ISD, Frisco ISD, Castleberry ISD, and Denison ISD for alleged instances of illegal electioneering by a governmental entity. The facts of each lawsuit vary, ranging from posts on district Facebook pages to emails sent by individual administrators and resolutions adopted by school boards. The lawsuits were filed following social media goading from a top lieutenant of the American Federation for Children, one of the pro-voucher groups pouring millions into House races through its political action committee in an attempt to unseat pro-public education incumbents. In the lawsuits, Paxton expresses frustration at a September 2022 Court of Criminal Appeals ruling that the state’s attorney general cannot unilaterally prosecute election crimes but can only do so with the approval of local officials—hence the lawsuits that are based on civil, not criminal, law. Assuming Paxton moves forward with them past next Tuesday, the merits of the individual lawsuits will have to be sorted out by the courts. There is, however, every possibility that Paxton’s primary goal is to intimidate educators from trying to encourage voter participation during an election in which many of his top financial backers are trying to take out pro-public education incumbents. As such, these dos and don’ts from Texas Educators Vote both provide peace of mind and serve as a critical reminder: 

Do: 

• Encourage students, staff, parents and community members to vote. 
• Share factual information about voter registration, polling locations, dates, and hours of voting. 
• Teach about civics, citizenship, and voting. Register voters, hold nonpartisan candidate forums, and make sure staff and students have time to vote.  
• Advocate for the interest of Texas public education, as long as the advocacy does not use public resources or time to campaign for a specific candidate, political party, or ballot measure.  

DON’T USE PUBLIC FUNDS (INCLUDING SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES AND TIME) TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE A SPECIFIC CANDIDATE, PARTY, OR BALLOT MEASURE. 

CANNABIS AWARENESS & PREVENTION: Vaping has become a cause for concern within school communities, affecting both students and educators. The pervasive nature of vaping presents unique challenges for teachers who must navigate classroom distractions and enforce school policies while addressing the impact on academic performance and school culture. Implementing prevention and intervention programs can provide necessary resources and support networks. If you would like to learn more about such efforts, consider registering for the Stanford University Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab’s upcoming 5th Annual Teaching Cannabis Awareness and Prevention virtual conference, which will cover effective prevention and intervention strategies for teens. ATPE members can save on registration through March 10. Learn more on the ATPE Blog.