Teach the Vote's Week in Review: July 1, 2022

School Finance Texas Legislature Congress | Federal Curriculum | Instruction School Safety
Date Posted: 7/01/2022
The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments.
- Happy Fourth of July and ATPE Summit
- U.S. Supreme Court rules on school prayer
- State leaders redirect funding to school safety
- Virtual Education Commission discusses CTE
- Biden signs gun safety bill into law
- H-E-B sends $10 million to Uvalde for new school

Also, our association will hold its annual ATPE Summit next week, so our next Teach the Vote Week in Review will be posted Friday, July 16.
SCOTUS: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that a Washington state school district violated the First Amendment rights of a high school football coach by prohibiting the coach from praying on the football field after games, where he was often joined by students. The court’s six conservative justices overruled decisions by a federal district court and the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that determined the coach’s job was to influence and lead student athletes and his invitation to group prayer was offered in his capacity as a government employee and therefore not protected by the First Amendment.


Approximately half the funding is being designated to pay for bullet-resistant shields. The remainder will boost funding to mental health telemedicine programs, law enforcement training, and on-site campus safety assessments, among other initiatives. Read the full breakdown in this post by ATPE Lobbyist Mark Wiggins.


The U.S. Department of Education also recently dedicated $1.5 million in school safety funding to Uvalde CISD.
UVALDE: Charles Butt, owner of the Texas-based grocery giant H-E-B, announced this week that his family foundation and H-E-B are donating $10 million to Uvalde CISD to build a new campus to replace Robb Elementary. Following the murder of 19 children and two teachers at the school in May, the Uvalde school district said the campus would be demolished. About 550 students who were scheduled to attend Robb Elementary in the fall will be divided among two other elementary schools, according to the district.
"Our first store in Uvalde opened in 1959, and Uvalde people are our people," said Butt. "As we continue to mourn tremendous loss, I join with my family and H-E-B in working to ensure the Uvalde community can move forward from this tragic event. Our children are this country's future, and our schools should be a safe place where children can thrive and envision new possibilities."
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