A new school year brings new challenges—or new versions of last year’s challenges. To help you navigate the current educational climate, the ATPE Member Legal Services Department is hosting two 30-minute webinars on the hottest topics in Texas public education today. These webinars are open to all Texas educators, and anyone who registers will receive access to a webinar recording.

5:30 p.m. CDT Tuesday, August 31
Teaching Social Studies & Discussing Current Events in the Classroom Post-HB 3979: What You Should Know

The 87th Legislature passed HB 3979, which places new mandates on the teaching of social studies and—making the law important to all teachers—creates legal requirements for discussing current events in any class. Much has been said about the bill in the press—it’s been called the “critical race theory” bill, though the law signed by the governor does not contain that term. What does HB 3979 actually say, and how does it impact your lesson plans and talking to your students about the events of the day? ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp will explain.

5:30 p.m. CDT Tuesday, September 7
The Latest on COVID-19 on Campus

The delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has extended the pandemic, just when we thought things were getting back to normal. It’s also left educators with many questions. If your school board issues a mask mandate, who’s the boss—your superintendent or the governor? Can your district require you to be vaccinated or reveal whether you are vaccinated? If you are required to quarantine, what leave is available to you? We’ll discuss these issues and more.

Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email as well as an invitation to submit questions for the Q&A portion of the webinar.

The information to be provided in these webinars is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and viewers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Eligible ATPE members may contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.