Texas § ED.11.005 - PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION DUTIES

§ ED.11.005. PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION DUTIES

PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION DUTIES. (a) In this section, "diversity, equity, and inclusion duties" means: (1) influencing hiring or employment practices with respect to race, sex, color, or ethnicity except as necessary to comply with state or federal antidiscrimination laws; (2) promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity; (3) developing or implementing policies, procedures, trainings, activities, or programs that reference race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation except: (A) for the purpose of student recruitment efforts by colleges and universities designated as historically black colleges and universities in collaboration with school districts or open-enrollment charter schools; or (B) as necessary to comply with state or federal law; and (4) compelling, requiring, inducing, or soliciting any person to provide a diversity, equity, and inclusion statement or giving preferential consideration to any person based on the provision of a diversity, equity, and inclusion statement. (b) Except as required by state or federal law, a school district: (1) may not assign diversity, equity, and inclusion duties to any person; and (2) shall prohibit a district employee, contractor, or volunteer from engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion duties at, for, or on behalf of the district. (c) A school district shall adopt a policy and procedure for the appropriate discipline, including termination, of a district employee or contractor who intentionally or knowingly engages in or assigns to another person diversity, equity, and inclusion duties. The district shall provide a physical and electronic copy of the policy and procedure to each district employee or contractor. (d) The policy and procedure adopted by a school district under Subsection (c) must ensure that an employee or contractor receives adequate due process and an opportunity to appeal disciplinary actions, including termination, in the same manner provided for other disciplinary actions. (e) Nothing in this section may be construed to: (1) limit or prohibit a school district from contracting with historically underutilized businesses or businesses owned by members of a minority group or by women in accordance with applicable state law; (2) limit or prohibit a school district from acknowledging or teaching the significance of state and federal holidays or commemorative months and how those holidays or months fit into the themes of history and the stories of this state and the United States of America in accordance with the essential knowledge and skills adopted under Subchapter A , Chapter 28 ; (3) affect a student's rights under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Section 8 , Article I, Texas Constitution; (4) limit or prohibit a school district from analyzing school-based causes and taking steps to eliminate unlawful discriminatory practices as necessary to address achievement gaps and differentials described by Section 39.053 ; or (5) apply to: (A) classroom instruction that is consistent with the essential knowledge and skills adopted by the State Board of Education; (B) the collection, monitoring, or reporting of data; (C) a policy, practice, procedure, program, or activity intended to enhance student academic achievement or postgraduate outcomes that is designed and implemented without regard to race, sex, color, or ethnicity; or (D) a student club that is in compliance with the requirements of Section 33.0815 . Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1125 (S.B. 12 ), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2025.