Wednesday, April 05, 2023

Senate Bills 17 & 2313 Represent an Attack on Diversity in Higher Education and They're Getting Heard Tomorrow on April 6, 2023

When we consider that diversity, equity and inclusion are part of the very fabric of our higher education institutions, how are Senate Bill 17 or Senate Bill 2313 anywhere close to being responsible policy? 

SB 17, in particular, is shocking and reads like legislation from an earlier, very dark period in our nation's history.

Red Scare, McCarthyism, and the House Un-American Activities Committee come immediately to mind.

Instructions on how to navigate the legislature tomorrow from Victoria Mendez of the Texas Black Legislative Caucus appear below.

Hope to see folks at 9AM tomorrow. We definitely need a show of force to help save academic freedom, Texas higher education, and democracy, as a whole.

-Angela Valenzuela 

Students rally at UT Arlington to protect DEI Policies


Dear friend,

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to provide additional information regarding the upcoming 
Senate sub-committee on Higher Education hearing tomorrow Thursday, April 6th, which will address the anti-DEI bills (SB17 & SB2313).

Firstly, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your organization's dedication and commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in Texas.

We are doing all we can to support advocates in the fight against these bills and we want you to know that you and your members will be well-taken care of tomorrow!
If you haven't already, please take a moment to fill out our hearing confirmation form. Here is a shareable version of the URL for your membership: (
https://tinyurl.com/DEICONFIRMATION).

The committee is scheduled to convene at 9:00am in the Capitol Extension room E1.028. As it is difficult to predict exactly when the specific bills will be addressed, I kindly suggest that you arrive at the Capitol no later than 8:45am. The Capitol Visitor Parking Garage is located at 1201 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701.

I am pleased to inform you that TxLBC Chairman Rep. Reynolds has secured hearing room E2.024 as a waiting area for all testifiers.

While the waiting room provides a comfortable space for your members to relax, we will also review the necessary steps to testify, including registering at the electronic senate kiosks and utilizing scripts that are optimal for the two-minute time slot.

For your convenience, I have attached electronic copies of TxLBC's guidance for testifying, which include talking points on DEI and a sample script template. Printed copies of this guide will also be available in the waiting room. Please take a moment to review and share these materials, as they may assist your organization in feeling more prepared to testify.

I've cc'd my executive director Miriam Laeky. Please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns!

Thank you for using your voice to support all Texans. We are grateful for your participation, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Best regards,
-- 

Victoria Menendez (she/her)
Legislative Aide 
Texas Legislative Black Caucus 

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