Education

This past weekend, LubbockPRIDE collaborated with other local groups to provide information and resources for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Our reporter Samantha Larned spoke with an organizer who said that these conversations are especially important right now. The Shallowater ISD Board of Trustees announced yesterday that Aron Strickland will be taking over as the district’s next superintendent.

Lubbock Police officials are asking drivers to be careful on the Marsha Sharp Freeway as officers conduct accident investigations today beginning at 9 A.M. This will affect westbound traffic on the Marsha Sharp between Quaker and Slide roads and eastbound lanes near University and Avenue Q. The Texas Education Agency has provided new guidance regarding the response to student walkouts, amid recent protests over immigration enforcement. The Texas Newsroom's Lucio Vasquez reports consequences could include possible state intervention. Tomorrow, Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer is hosting Coffee with the Mayor in District 1, starting at 7 A.M. at Amigos located at 112 N. University Avenue.

Which private schools can participate in the $1 billion program, how they will be vetted and how they will serve students with special needs are questions raised by education experts and observers.

The move comes as the state's education agency unveils a new enforcement role to oversee investigations into alleged misconduct by Texas teachers.

Senate Bill 11, passed last year, requires Texas public school boards and charter school governing bodies to vote by March 1 on whether to implement periods for group religious activity.

The ban, which went into effect in September, requires that school districts prohibit students from using cellphones and other personal wireless communication devices during school hours.

The University Interscholastic League, or UIL, officially revealed its new district alignments Monday, and our Bishop Van Buren has the details on the impact for Frenship High and Frenship Memorial High School. Meanwhile, San Antonio Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro is calling for a family immigrant detention center in the area to be shut down following two confirmed measles cases. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro reports doctors with UT Health San Antonio are also concerned with response and potential spread.

Applications will close March 17, with funding notifications sent to families beginning in early April. The rollout follows a years-long battle at the Capitol and marks a major victory for the governor after repeated failed attempts to pass similar legislation.

The Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers is asking the court to bar the Texas Education Agency from investigating educators for their comments on social media after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Buddy Holly Center is hosting a lecture that coincides with the Lonesome Dove traveling exhibition currently in town. Our new student reporter Charley Maranville explains the presentation is focused on the adaptation and impact of the work. The lecture is Friday, from 6 to 7:30 P.M. at the Buddy Holly Center and the exhibition is open until March 22.

The demographic makeup of the “trigger” schools raises questions about whether Texas' accountability system fairly considers historic inequities tied to race and poverty.