House Bill 6, a harmful school discipline bill that would make suspending innocent students easier, has a hearing set for Thursday, May 8
Tomorrow, the Texas Senate Education Committee will hear House Bill 6, a punitive and harmful school discipline bill that would give harsh punishments for minor offenses young Texas students make. The hearing will take place tomorrow, Thursday, May 8, at 9:00 a.m.
- The bill makes it easier to suspend or remove students from the classroom, especially younger children, for vague or minor disruptions.
- The bill allows for unlimited in-school suspensions and doubles down on punitive practices that have not worked in the past and are linked to higher dropout rates.
- The bill risks worsening inequities for students. Historically, exclusionary discipline policies have disproportionately impacted students of color, students with disabilities, and those from low-income backgrounds.
Please call the Senate education committee members and tell them to vote no on House Bill 6. Use the call script to help you craft your message to their staff. If the office doesn’t pick up, leave a voicemail so your response is still recorded!
Call Script
“Hello, my name is [say your name] and I live in (name the town and/or school district you live in). I am calling to urge [Legislator’s Name] to vote no on House Bill 6. This bill harms students through the use of punitive zero tolerance practices.
This bill would allow for our youngest students in pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade to suspended for a one time disruption, allow for unlimited in school suspension placements, and allow the courts to be involved in disciplinary actions. [If you have an example, please share it!]
The bill will disproportionately impact vulnerable students, especially those with disabilities, and risks placing more kids in the school-to-prison pipeline. HB 6 would be a step backwards for our students and we need to prioritize providing support to our schools, teachers, and students.
Please vote no to HB 6 when it comes up for a vote. Thank you very much for your time and attention.”
Testify in Person
If you live in Austin, we encourage you to come to the Capitol to testify. The hearing will be located in room E1.028 at the Texas Capitol.
During this time of the legislative session, hearings may last well into the evening because the chambers have business to take up on the floor. If you’re coming to the Capitol to testify, read our guides on helping you craft your testimony!
- Video clips with advocacy tips
- How to Testify before the Texas Legislature – Infographic
- Texas Testimony Paks – Infographic
- House Bill 6 Messaging Toolkit
