Texas A&M professor fired after viral video disputes termination
An attorney for Melissa McCoul, seen in a video clashing with a student over gender-identity content in her class, said the professor is weighing her legal options. Full Story
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![The Academic Building at Texas A&M University in College Station on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.]()
Credit: Adriano Espinosa for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott orders minors banned from THC products
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday called Abbott’s decision a pathway to full legalization of cannabis, including marijuana which is still federally illegal. Hemp-derived THC is legal. Full Story
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![THC products sit near the cash register in Hyde Park Market in Austin on May 5, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Texas is replacing the STAAR test
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Tribune reporter Sneha Dey and the Commit Partnership’s Bridget Worley about the changes to the state’s standardized test. Full Story
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![Austin Voices for Education and Youth hosts a summer camp at the Dobie Middle School for students that attend three Austin ISD schools at risk of closure, on July 23, 2025.]()
Credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers limit use of parent-child reunification therapy in custody battles
Opponents of reunification therapy say it can psychologically harm children, while supporters say it’s unnatural for children to reject parents. Full Story
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![Tiffanie O'Brien, right)=, looks toward her daughter, Abbey, as they sit in their neighbor’s home near Lake Austin on Aug. 8, 2025. Both women testified in favor of banning reunification therapy, a form of court ordered family therapy that Abbey started going into her final year of high school in 2024. Abbey and her mom were separated for several months without a way to communicate with one another so that Abbey could spend time with her dad.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett for The Texas Tribune -
Some of Texas’ highest-paid charter superintendents run some of its lowest-performing districts
Three Texas charter school districts underreported compensation paid to top leaders. They also recently had failing or near-failing performance ratings. Full Story
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![A stack of schoolwork rubber-stamped with “D” and “F” grades, mixed together with $100 bills.]()
Credit: Lauren Crow for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica -
Texas educators praise new school cellphone ban
The new state ban took effect on Sept. 1, and Texas’ more than 1,200 public school districts have adopted policies ranging from secure phone pouches to increased monitoring. Full Story
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![Students eat lunch without devices at Lago Vista High School on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 in Lago Vista, TX. HB 1481 passed during the special legislative session which requires schools to implement a policy prohibiting personal communication devices. Lago Vista has implemented a policy where students stow devices, primarily cell phones, in magnetically locked pouches that also block cell phone service, the devices can be unlocked in the event of an emergency as well as when the students exit the building using a wall mounted key near the building entrance. (Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Video of clash over gender-identity content in Texas A&M children’s lit class leads to firing, removals
After the video fueled outrage, a professor was fired and two college leaders removed from their administrative roles for approving content inconsistent with the course’s description. Full Story
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![The Texas A&M bell tower on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in College Station.]()
Credit: Ishika Samant for The Texas Tribune -
NY attorney general will intervene in Texas abortion pill access lawsuit
Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, said Texas has no authority to “impose its cruel abortion ban here.” Full Story
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![New York Attorney General Letitia James, appears at the NYPD 78th Precinct as part of National Night Out in Brooklyn, New York on Aug. 5, 2025.]()
Credit: Kyle Mazza/CNP/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Texas Legislature’s long summer ends with Democrats marginalized, Republicans triumphant and unified
Democrats in the Texas House began the year by elevating a new speaker and left Austin relegated to the sidelines in the one chamber that had granted them at least scraps from the table. Full Story
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![Members vote on HB 8 in Austin on Sept. 3, 2025.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
New Uvalde records reveal how school district changed course on supporting police chief
The details were revealed in more than 25,000 pages of records released after a yearslong legal fight by news outlets including ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. Full Story
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Credit: Evan L’Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Retailers relieved that Texas skirted a THC ban — again
While Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick remains adamant about a ban, hemp industry representatives say they would compromise on creating a 21 age limit to purchase. Full Story
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![THC products sit near the cash register in Hyde Park Market in Austin, Texas on May 5, 2025. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has partnered with the senate in pursuing a complete ban on THC products across the state.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Texas launches downloadable form to exempt kids from school-required vaccines
Previously, parents had to wait for the state to mail them the exemption form. They still have to get the form notarized before submitting it to the school for enrollment purposes. Full Story
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![Mateo Cardona, 4, receives a vaccine in Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston on June 28, 2022.]()
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Bill overhauling disaster emergency response misses final approval in Texas Senate
Both legislative chambers adjourned without agreeing on changes to Senate Bill 2, which aimed to create new training and licensing requirements for local officials. Full Story
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![Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt on July 5, 2025.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature ends second special session marked by new political maps, slew of conservative wins
Between cracking down on abortion pills and restricting transgender restroom use, lawmakers also tackled flood safety and the STAAR test. Left untouched: Texas’ hemp industry. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, oversees roll call on the House floor in Austin on Sept. 3, 2025.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
Texas kids’ camps must remove cabins from floodplains, operate warning systems under new laws
The parents of children who died at Camp Mystic advocated for the new legislation, which now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. Full Story
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![Damaged cabins seen along the river in Ingram on Monday July7, 2025.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
Most Texas THC products remain legal after GOP leaders fail to break legislative impasse
Legislators couldn’t reach a last-minute deal to tighten regulations on consumable hemp products. Full Story
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![Hemp plants are seen at Caprock Family Farms, Friday, May 23, 2025, in Lubbock.]()
Credit: Annie Rice for The Texas Tribune -
Texas sued over its lab-grown meat ban
Two California-based companies accuse the state of government overreach for banning the sale of their products for the next two years. Full Story
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![Roy Mills checks on the cattle at J&R Mills Family Farms, on Wednesday February 26, 2025, in Nacogdoches County.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Lawmakers fail to pass a bill to end massive water exports from East Texas
The House refused Senate changes allowing exports to continue while the state studies its underground water supply. Lawmakers left the Capitol without reaching a compromise. Full Story
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![The Houston County Lake in Houston Co. on Nov. 30, 2022.]()
Credit: Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune -
Proposal limiting Texas city, county property taxes dies in the Legislature
The House refused to back a bill that would apply only to the state’s largest cities. Full Story
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![The Celina water tower among newer housing developments in Celina on November 13, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Rep. Alma Allen, longtime Houston Democratic lawmaker, to retire from Texas House
Allen, known for her focus on public education issues, announced her retirement after 20 years in the House. She endorsed her son, Lawrence Allen Jr., to succeed her. Full Story
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![State Rep. Alma Allen, D-Houston, at a press conference with fellow Texas Legislature Black Caucus members urging the passage of the CROWN act, prohibiting discrimination against hairstyles, in the state Capitol on Apr. 13, 2023.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune