An Anna ISD teacher is off the job and facing charges after an incident at school. The teacher was removed from her classroom at Hendricks Elementary School last week when the investigation began. view article

The attorney general has called the scheme “deceptive and unlawful.” view article

Ofelia Negrete-Arriaga worked as a custodian for Killeen ISD for close to 20 years. view article

EL PASO—Day nine of Texas’ redistricting trial saw prolonged and contentious questioning of the State’s expert witness, Dr. Sean Trende, despite a prior informal courtroom agreement to keep cross-examination brief. Following Trende’s questioning, both parties made final arguments.   At issue is Texas’ latest congressional map, which creates five new GOP-opportunity districts. The case will determine whether Texas’ new boundaries are used in the 2026 midterm election.    view article

Roberson was slated to be executed on October 16 for the murder of two-year-old Nikki Curtis. view article

The case is set to determine whether Texas’ new congressional boundaries may be used in the 2026 elections  On the eighth day of Texas’ ongoing high-profile redistricting trial, proceedings centered on the testimony of Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, an expert witness for the State, and two lawmakers in charge of the redistricting process. At issue is Texas’ latest congressional map, which creates five new GOP-opportunity districts. The case will determine whether Texas’ new boundaries are used in the 2026 midterm election.   Plaintiffs suing over the map include the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC).   The Plaintiffs’ have argued that Texas’s latest legislative maps discriminate against minority voters. However, the State contends the process was strictly guided by partisan objectives.   view article

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the removal of politically themed road markings across Texas, prompting Houston’s Metro agency to once again repaint the city’s rainbow crosswalks in Montrose.  Abbott’s order, issued Wednesday, instructed cities and counties across Texas to eliminate “symbols, flags, or other markings conveying social, political, or ideological messages” or risk penalties. Those penalties could include the withholding or denial of state and federal road funds, as well as possible suspension of TxDOT agreements. view article

The attorney general had previously announced an investigation to determine whether Discord is effectively safeguarding children online.  Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his office has expanded its investigation into the online chat platform Discord following reports that the platform was used by the alleged assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.  The move broadens Paxton’s ongoing probe under the Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, which authorizes investigations into digital platforms accused of endangering minors.   Paxton said the expansion responds not only to Discord’s reported connection to the assassin but also to growing concerns that the platform exposes children to sexual exploitation and extremist content and contains addictive features designed to keep minors engaged. view article

A Killeen ISD employee has been arrested for allegedly falsifying employment paperwork, the district has announced. Killeen ISD said a federal arrest warrant was issued for the employee on Oct. 3. The district said the matter was "not related to student or staff safety." view article

The father of Serenity Baker, the Killeen teenager who was stabbed and killed at school, has filed a lawsuit against Killeen ISD and Evolv Technologies Inc., the company that produces and provides the district’s weapons detection system. The lawsuit states that Serenity Baker’s death was a result of the Defendants’ negligence and wrongful conduct. Serenity Baker was 14 years old when she was stabbed and killed by a fellow classmate in the hallway of Roy J. Smith Middle School on March 20. view article

Officials at North East Independent School District have decided to defend their cell phone policy amid an ongoing review from the Texas Education Agency.  A new state law requires schools to bar students from using cell phones and other electronic devices during the school day.  The NEISD board voted in August to define the school day as instructional time, which allows students to use phones at lunch and during passing periods. view article

Pete Arredondo, the district’s former police chief, and ex-officer Adrian Gonzales face charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting.  The trials for the two former school police officers facing charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde will be delayed, and one will be moved out of the city where the attack occurred, their lawyers said Tuesday.  Former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo and officer Adrian Gonzales have pleaded not guilty to dozens of counts of child endangerment and abandonment in connection with the massacre at Robb Elementary School. Both men were set to stand trial on Oct. 20.  Gonzales’ trial will be moved to a January start in Corpus Christi, about 200 miles from the school, attorney Nico LaHood said Tuesday. Judge Sid Harle confirmed the agreement for a change of venue for Gonzales, but said no formal order had been filed yet. view article

Pete Arredondo, the district’s former police chief, and ex-officer Adrian Gonzales face charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting.  The trials for the two former school police officers facing charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde will be delayed, and one will be moved out of the city where the attack occurred, their lawyers said Tuesday.  Former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo and officer Adrian Gonzales have pleaded not guilty to dozens of counts of child endangerment and abandonment in connection with the massacre at Robb Elementary School. Both men were set to stand trial on Oct. 20.  Gonzales’ trial will be moved to a January start in Corpus Christi, about 200 miles from the school, attorney Nico LaHood said Tuesday. Judge Sid Harle confirmed the agreement for a change of venue for Gonzales, but said no formal order had been filed yet. view article

Texas will become the first state to no longer use American Bar Association (ABA) for oversight of its law schools.  The Texas Supreme Court will take over that responsibility, according to an order its justices issued on Friday, Sept. 26. The ABA has set standards for law schools nationwide for decades.  Karen Sloan, who covers the legal business for Reuters, spoke to Texas Standard about the decision. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below. view article

Texas' state health agency approved an emergency rule on Friday to ban hemp license holders from selling consumable hemp products to anyone under 21, the first step toward fulfilling an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott that called for stricter regulation of the products.  The emergency rule, approved by Health and Human Services Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young, requires sellers of consumable hemp to verify with a valid ID that a customer is at least 21 years old; violations may lead to the revocation of a license or registration. The rules are effective immediately.  The state health agency approved the rule less than two weeks after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved an emergency rule to ban liquor license holders from selling consumable hemp products to anyone under 21. This includes THC and CBD products. view article

River Road ISD is among the 127 school districts being investigated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) after nearly 300 complaints were filed against teachers for social media posts they made after the death of political activist Charlie Kirk. view article

William Caleb Elliott, 26, was arrested Friday night and booked into the Collin County Jail. Celina ISD said Elliott is a sixth grade history teacher and eighth grade coach at Moore Middle School. In a release, the district said Elliott was placed on administrative leave "indefinitely." Elliott is the son of Celina High School head football coach Bill Elliott. view article

A Garland ISD staffer who works at one of the district's high schools was placed on leave after being arrested for an indecency with a child allegation outside of Dallas County, the district says. Garland ISD officials became aware Sept. 30 that Shamond Hamilton, a staff member at North Garland High School, was arrested for an indecency with a child allegation from another county, according to a letter from North Garland High School principal John Fishpaw sent to parents. view article

EL PASO—Court proceedings continued Saturday, as the fourth day of Texas’ 2025 federal redistricting trial saw Plaintiffs finally present a witness who provided evidence directly addressing the heart of their racial gerrymandering claims.   The latest congressional map creates five new GOP-opportunity districts. Plaintiffs suing over the map include the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC). view article

Standing in front of the state Capitol Wednesday afternoon, Dallas businessman and GOP donor Doug Deason urged all nine Republican judges of the state’s highest criminal court to grant death row inmate Robert Roberson a new trial. In doing so, he offered the elected judges a little political reassurance.  “All we're trying to do is … reach the Court of Criminal Appeals directly to them and say that, ‘Hey there, you've got a lot of cover. There are a lot of Republicans in this state who believe that Robert deserves another trial,’” Deason said at a press conference convened by a GOP state lawmaker. view article

The suspended Academy ISD employee jailed on a charge of displaying harmful material to a minor is now facing additional charges, including child sex assault, The Bell County Sheriff’s Office said. Earlier this week, deputies arrested William “Will” Anthony Blackburn, Sr. view article

A judge has granted a 30-day extension for the state to answer the GOP’s petition. view article

Attorney General Ken Paxton promised to “vigorously enforce” the state’s Ten Commandments display law in a legal advisory sent to Texas public school districts, his office announced Wednesday.   Paxton said his office and the Texas Education Agency will closely monitor compliance with the law. Any school district that fails to meet the standard set in Senate Bill 10 is subject to legal action, he said.  “Texas law has spoken clearly: The moral foundation that shaped our nation deserves a prominent place in our classrooms — now more than ever,” Paxton wrote in the advisory. “As Attorney General, I will do everything in my power to defend this statute and ensure that Texas children may once again see, each day, the timeless truths upon which our laws and liberties were built.”   view article

Governments rely on private contractors, or vendors. Many times, using a vendor is either more efficient, less expensive, or gives the government access to expertise that it does not have. Given the ubiquitous nature of contracts with the private sector, devoting some time and attention to your vendor contracts is important.

A regional custodial specialist in the Austin Independent School District was arrested by federal authorities and charged with sexually abusing a child.   Agustin Ibarra Lopez was arrested September 24 by U.S. Marshals on a felony charge of indecency with a child, according to a letter Austin ISD sent to district families on the 25th.   Talent Strategy Officer Brandi Hosack advised that Lopez had served as a custodian at several Austin ISD schools since 2016: Bowie High School (2016–17 and 2017–18 school years), Akins High School (2018–2021), Mendez Middle School (2022), Casey Elementary School (May 2022), and Anderson High School (2023-24 school year). view article

Free speech experts say that when teachers speak in their personal capacity, even on school grounds but outside their official duties, they retain their right to comment on matters of public concern. view article

Free speech experts say that when teachers speak in their personal capacity, even on school grounds but outside their official duties, they retain their right to comment on matters of public concern. view article

A legal showdown over Texas’ new congressional map begins Wednesday in an El Paso federal court. The outcome will determine whether the state’s latest congressional boundaries can be used in upcoming elections.  The new congressional map—signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in August—added five new Republican-opportunity seats ahead of the 2026 midterm election. view article

A nationwide audit conducted by the ​​Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shows a lack of compliance with federal law by several states for commercial license requirements, with Texas included on the list.  Late last week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy released new emergency rules to help clarify and strengthen the current licensing system.   “What our team has discovered should disturb and anger every American,” Duffy announced. view article

The state is being criticized for advising colleges to verify students’ status with immigration authorities, which could put them at risk. view article

A middle school student was arrested Wednesday after allegedly making a threat against a Rockwall ISD school, police said. According to the Fate Department of Public Safety, a school resource officer at Ursula Rakow Middle School learned a student made a threat against the school and its students late in the day on Tuesday. Fate DPS said the student admitted to the SRO that they made the comments "as a joke" during a visit to the student's home. view article

The judge currently handling Attorney General Ken Paxton’s divorce case has decided to shield the records in the case from public disclosure.  Judge Ray Wheless, a Republican serving as the regional administrative judge for North Texas, ordered the case records be sealed Friday. He was brought on to the case after the judge originally assigned to the case, Jill Renfro Willis, recused herself. While Willis did not give a reason for her recusal, she and her husband, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, have longtime ties to the Paxtons.  Sealing the court records means the public will not have access to further filings in the case, which has garnered significant public interest given the Paxtons’ political prominence and past links between the attorney general’s infidelity and allegations of corruption. view article

Another San Antonio-area school district is caught in a legal battle over Texas’ new law that requires donated posters of the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other religious freedom groups brought a lawsuit Monday against 14 Texas school districts, including the Comal Independent School District, which they say have “pressed forward with actually posting (Senate Bill 10) displays in classrooms, or have confirmed they will do so shortly.” view article

The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, along with other civil rights groups, filed a second lawsuit in federal court Monday to stop more Texas public school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Earlier this summer, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 into law, requiring every public school classroom in the state to include a poster with the Ten Commandments. view article

Six employees at Midland ISD’s South Elementary have resigned and two administrators remain under investigation following claims of misconduct in special education classrooms, prompting a multi-agency investigation and increased oversight across the district. Following last week’s initial statement regarding an investigation into classroom practices in special education classrooms at South Elementary, Midland ISD remains committed to transparency while acknowledging that some details cannot be disclosed during the ongoing investigation. view article