Texas Law Firm Fights Back Against State Law Banning Critical Race Theory In Lesson Plans

Attorneys from Texas-based law firm Thompson & Horton LLP are helping educators contend with the state’s ban on the teaching of critical race theory in classrooms, Yahoo News reports.

During the Texas Association of School Boards’ annual conference earlier in October, Thompson & Horton LLP presented a detailed approach to incorporating historically accurate learning into lesson plans without breaking the newly enforced laws.

“So, Senate Bill 3 does prohibit a teacher or school district from requiring an understanding of the 1619 Project,” said Ashley White, senior associate at Thompson & Horton during the conference. “However, it doesn’t prohibit a student from choosing to do an assignment on the 1619 Project; it doesn’t prohibit the teacher from having the 1619 Project among a number of other books that the students could select from related to a project; it also doesn’t prohibit a teacher from assigning an article that might have a concept from the 1619 Project.”

White explained that students can use banned reading and learning materials to support their own exploration in the classroom without it technically falling under attack by Texas lawmakers.

“So, for example, if they have an article that’s about the fact that every musical genre in America was kind of born from Black roots, that is a concept that comes from the 1619 Project and that would still be allowed,” she explained.

A video from the presentation made its way to conservative outlet Accuracy in Media, which accused Thompson & Horton LLP of following a recent trend of “pushing the radical principles associated with critical race theory, no matter what” in an attempt to “indoctrinate kids,” per Yahoo News. The law firm vehemently denied the accusations saying, the “nature of our presentation” was a focus on “explaining Senate Bill 3, its provisions, and how schools can remain in compliance” and not to “endorse or encourage any actions that would circumvent laws.”