Texas Observer

Now hiring: We're seeking a paid intern to cover the 2027 Texas Legislature. If you're finishing your schooling and want hands-on experience in political/policy journalism, apply by October 30. 20/hours per week and located at our Austin office: https://www.texasobserver.org/2027-legislative-internship/

Dildo demonstrations, 10 years later: “Texas has decided it is not at all obnoxious or illegal to allow deadly concealed weapons on campus. But walking around with a dildo could land you in trouble. We’re protesting absurdity with absurdity.” https://www.texasobserver.org/cocks-not-glocks-at-10/ #GunViolence #Texas #history #activism #FreeSpeech

Our top story: “These plays were speaking to the experiences that we had … and yet it was a universal story that was being told. There were stories that dealt with families, communities, human beings, and all of the dynamics that are rolled into who we are.” https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-historic-black-theater-at-50/ #Houston #Texas #history #GulfCoast #culture #art

Previously: In an attempt to overcomply with #Texas law, the University of #Houston will eliminate over 100 women's studies, gender and sexuality courses from the core curriculum. It won't be enough to appease extremist Republicans. https://www.texasobserver.org/university-of-houston-ends-gender-sexuality-courses-op-ed/ #women #gender #LGBTQIA #GulfCoast #news #politics #USpol

From Eden Shamy: “We’re here to point out the facts over the farce. If you listen to what’s being said across the street, you might feel like you’re living in some separate reality. ... The average family lost nearly $3,800 to inflation and tariffs by President Trump.” https://www.texasobserver.org/gop-2026-midterm-convention-dallas-dispatch/ #Texas #midterms #Republicans #politics #news #Trump #Dallas #NorthTexas

From David Brockman: One out of every 17 Texans belongs to a #religion other than Christianity, and over 25% don't identify with any religious tradition at all. The new curriculum, which goes into effect 2030, isn't inclusive of any of these residents. https://www.texasobserver.org/state-bible-only-reading-list-disservice-texas-students/ #education #Texas #politics #news

From Steven Monacelli: Even as some in the GOP condemn Bo French's statements as racist and divisive, others in the ascendant far-right are lining up to praise the fascist candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner including one who lauded him for “pushing the Overton window on immigration.” https://www.texasobserver.org/not-all-texas-republicans-are-condemning-bo-french/#fascism #Texas #midterms #Republicans #news #racism

From Gus Bova: Joe Rogan often speaks positively of James Talarico, and negatively of Ken Paxton. But his views on the midterm race, and how it might influence his listeners, are harder to discern. We analyzed 20 episodes where the candidates got mentioned. https://www.texasobserver.org/joe-rogan-james-talarico-ken-paxton/ #media #podcast #midterms #politics #Texas #news

Greg Abbott and Ken Paxton found ways to make statements without saying much about Bo French at all. Paxton even turned it around, accusing his Senate election opponent James Talarico of being racially divisive. https://www.texasobserver.org/not-all-texas-republicans-are-condemning-bo-french/#Texas #midterms #racism #politics #news

ICE agents engaged in a high speed chase forced a car containing a mother and child into a ditch with their reckless driving, then handcuffed a U.S. citizen. It's business as usual for the agency in South #Texas: https://www.texasobserver.org/ice-car-chase-gun-citizen-south-texas/#ICE #SouthTexas #border #police #fascism #news

"Those issues have nothing to do with cleaning up our environment, protecting our communities from higher prices and scarce water, making our electric grid more reliable." Featured story: Meet the Democratic candidate who stands in the way of Bo French, the fascist Republican running for #Texas Railroad Commissioner. https://www.texasobserver.org/railroad-commission-bo-french-jon-rosenthal/#fascism #politics #Texas #midterms #OilAndGas #energy #environment #news

The Harris County DA's office is investigating the potential that any number of crimes may have occurred, including murder, manslaughter, and tampering with evidence. If the office is able to build a case, attorneys could present it to a grand jury. https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-ice-killing-district-attorney-trump/#ICE #Houston #GulfCoast #Texas #law #news

New from Andrew Joseph Pegoda: In an attempt to overcomply with #Texas law, the University of #Houston will eliminate over 100 women's studies, gender and sexuality courses from the core curriculum. It won't be enough to appease extremist Republicans. https://www.texasobserver.org/university-of-houston-ends-gender-sexuality-courses-op-ed/#education #TXlege #LGBTQIA #LGBTQ #women #GulfCoast #law #politics #USpol #news

How much #energy will data centers actually use? How much #water do they consume? If it seems like no one has the answers, then that's by design. https://www.texasobserver.org/ai-data-center-boom-uncertainty-is-the-model/#environment #ClimateChange #environment #tech #AI #news #Texas

From Joel Zapata: Students will learn that life circumstances are beyond their power to change. They will learn that their place and the place of others in the economy and larger society should not be questioned. Instead, they should celebrate the wealthy and powerful for their economic success. https://www.texasobserver.org/sboe-bible-curriculum-requirements/#education #Texas #politics #USpol #news #religion

New from Gaige Davila: “Just the experience of having a gun pointed at you, having agents aggressively approach your car, endangering people on the road, coming into your yard or home, obviously, that is an extremely traumatic event for anyone who has to experience it.” https://www.texasobserver.org/ice-car-chase-gun-citizen-south-texas/ #news #ICE #border #SouthTexas #politics #USpol #Texas

The race for Texas House District 34, which includes half of Corpus Christi, could in some ways serve as a referendum on the region’s #water crisis and even help shape the future direction of its water policy. https://www.texasobserver.org/corpus-christi-water-election-texas-house-district-34/ #midterms #GulfCoast #CorpusChristi #Texas #environment #news

"I met scammers and I met people who were scammed. And people who are scammed, to a one, kept going when it was pretty clear that it was a scam. They just continue." https://www.texasobserver.org/austin-novel-romance-scammers/#books #bookstodon #tech #culture

New from Michelle Pitcher: Local officials' attempts to investigate the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo have been stonewalled at every turn. They've even consulted with Minneapolis for tips on forcing #ICE to face justice. https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-ice-killing-district-attorney-trump/ #police #Houston #GulfCoast #politics #USpol #news

Featured story: Districts across the state are arresting and citing young #children for common misbehavior, leaving lasting trauma as the Legislature rejects bills to raise the age of criminal responsibility and floods #schools with even more police. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-school-arrests-crisis-kids-as-young-as-10/#education #politics #USpol #law #Texas #police

From Daniel Dawer and Ruth Kravetz: Nearly 2,000 juniors at 16 high schools in Houston ISD were pulled from Algebra II and placed in remedial math. At some schools, about 70% of juniors were similarly demoted into less challenging classes. It wasn't due to poor grades ... https://www.texasobserver.org/the-houston-miracle-shell-game/ #education #Houston #GulfCoast #Texas #politics #USpol #news

Out today: Both #Austin and #Dallas passed laws mandating rest breaks for construction workers, as a protection from dangerous heat. Then the lege overruled their work, and banned future laws like it. Time and again, cities plan climate action but it's blocked by the state. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-cities-climate-plans-preemption/

Last week: Students who have been taught that they must revere the barons of “free enterprise,” that inequality is not worth discussing, & that they should accept their circumstances will become a compliant workforce & a malleable voting base. https://www.texasobserver.org/sboe-bible-curriculum-requirements/ #Texas #education #religion #politics #USpol #news

From our magazine: The Inside Books Project, a nonprofit operated by volunteers, sends about 40,000 free #books to prisoners each year. But their vital work is endangered by a new rule banning used and hardcover books. https://www.texasobserver.org/prison-crackdown-reading-access-profile/ #Texas #HumanRights #prison #law #news

In the weeks after the fatal shooting in #Houston’s predominantly Hispanic east side, local authorities have struggled to stake their claim on an investigation into a killing within the most populous #Texas city’s limits. https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-ice-killing-district-attorney-trump/ #ICE #law #GulfCoast #news

Our top story: “Where I’m from, backwoods women learn the truth that our lives are entangled in the ecology of the land.” https://www.texasobserver.org/love-letter-black-woodswomen-deep-east-texas/#Texas #EastTexas #culture #history

New today: Political participation is the foundation of self-government. When citizens vote, serve on juries, attend public meetings, contact elected officials, and engage in civic life, they help shape the future of their communities. When participation declines, democracy itself becomes weaker. https://www.texasobserver.org/voting-rights-civil-rights-future/#democracy #politics #USpol

From our magazine: "I just believe that our constituents deserve better from the county executive. And when they voted to redistrict my precinct, making it much more difficult for a Democrat to win in Precinct 2, I decided I may as well run countywide." https://www.texasobserver.org/tarrant-county-judge-alisa-simmons-tim-ohare/#politics #Texas #midterms #USpol #news #NorthTexas #Democrats

20 million bats. One cave. An unforgettable display of #nature's wonder. https://www.texasobserver.org/the-bats-of-bracken/#Texas #wildlife #culture

“In some ways, I don’t think it can be worse.” Our top story: The collapse of a nonprofit designed to help young sex trafficking victims makes a disturbing illustration of the failures of #Texas' faltering foster care system. https://www.texasobserver.org/the-fall-of-hope-rising/#children #HumanRights #news #religion

From our magazine: The Inside Books Project, a nonprofit operated by volunteers, sends about 40,000 free #books to prisoners each year. But their vital work is endangered by a new rule banning used and hardcover books. https://www.texasobserver.org/prison-crackdown-reading-access-profile/ #prison #HumanRights #bookstodon #culture #law

“In some ways, I don’t think it can be worse.” Featured story: The collapse of a nonprofit designed to help young sex trafficking victims makes a disturbing illustration of the failures of Texas' faltering foster care system. https://www.texasobserver.org/the-fall-of-hope-rising/

Featured story: "I was molded from the clay soil in Deep East Texas ... This region has an antebellum history shrouded in violence, mystery, and resilience—much like the ecosystem of the Big Thicket, which is arguably the most diverse in the world." https://www.texasobserver.org/love-letter-black-woodswomen-deep-east-texas/ #Texas #history #culture

From Michelle Pitcher in our magazine: In the long-awaited debut from a legend of #Texas magazine journalism, Pamela Colloff reveals how the actions of one conman had life-or-death consequences that illuminate the flaws in our justice system. https://www.texasobserver.org/review-colloff-book-jailhouse-snitch/ #law #journalism #DeathPenalty #prison #culture

New today from Joel Zapata: Students who have been taught that they must revere the barons of the “free enterprise system,” that inequality is not worth discussing, and that they should accept their life circumstances will become a compliant workforce and a malleable voting base. https://www.texasobserver.org/sboe-bible-curriculum-requirements/#education #politics #USpol #news #Texas

Thousands of children ages 10 to 12 whose lives were upended by around 8,000 arrests or criminal citations made in 168 #Texas public school districts from the 2021-22 through 2024-25 school years, an investigation by the Observer has found: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-school-arrests-crisis-kids-as-young-as-10/#education #police #law #news

In #books: It starts with questioning the legitimacy of the camps. In this excerpt, John Washington of Lookout News explains how we got here ... and looks toward a future where we put an end to immigrant detention. https://www.texasobserver.org/excerpt-how-to-close-a-camp/#bookstodon #immigration #ICE #HumanRights #politics #USpol #history

From Emily Markwiese: “We’re saying to the city, we should not treat neighbors who happen to be migrants trying to make a better life here like hardened criminals. We should not shackle them together and put them on shadow flights.” https://www.texasobserver.org/world-cup-dallas-deportation-flights/#WorldCup #ICE #immigration #Dallas #NorthTexas #Texas #news

Last week, from Mezabahnur Masum: Texas cities are not indifferent to climate change. Instead, time after time, their careful plans for the future are blocked by #Republicans in the legislature. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-cities-climate-plans-preemption/#TXlege #Texas #ClimateChange #environment #news #politics #USpol

Texas foster care in disarray: Three #nonprofit programs set up to assist trafficking victims closed after failing to meet minimum standards, experiencing management issues, or losing funding. At least 50 child placement agencies have shuttered. https://www.texasobserver.org/the-fall-of-hope-rising/#Texas #children #HumanRights #news

New from Jason Buch: A road created by Border Patrol during wall construction gives the perfect perspective for a #cycling tour of the region's natural beauty (and overall safety). https://www.texasobserver.org/postcard-laredo-border-wall/ #border #Texas #immigration #SouthTexas #Trump #news

New in #books: It starts with questioning the legitimacy of the camps. In this excerpt, John Washington explains how we got here ... and looks toward a future where we put an end to immigrant detention. https://www.texasobserver.org/excerpt-how-to-close-a-camp/#books #bookstodon #ICE #immigration #HumanRights #history #politics #USpol @bookstodon@a.gup.pe

Top story: In #Texas, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is 10—when kids are in fourth or fifth grade, learning basic arithmetic, and in many cases haven’t even started puberty. https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-school-arrests-crisis-kids-as-young-as-10/ #education #law #police #news

Out today: "When you wake up in the morning and someone says: 'If you send me $10, my dear, and tell me about your day,' it’s like Stockholm Syndrome. It’s worth the $10 to keep pretending that there is this person who loves you and wants to hear about your day." https://www.texasobserver.org/austin-novel-romance-scammers/#books #bookstodon #tech #culture @bookstodon@a.gup.pe

Previously: ICE agents engaged in a high speed chase forced a car containing a mother and child into a ditch with their reckless driving, then handcuffed a U.S. citizen. It's business as usual for the agency in South Texas ... https://www.texasobserver.org/ice-car-chase-gun-citizen-south-texas/

"Imigration enforcement ... should not be a get-out-of-jail-free card for agents to wear masks, to terrorize communities, to shoot at vehicles, and to murder people in broad daylight." https://www.texasobserver.org/interview-congressman-christian-menefee-houston/

Our top story: “It’s a huge mistake for schools to be calling the #police immediately for everything. The schools are choosing not to teach but instead pass the child to the police for punishment.” https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-school-arrests-crisis-kids-as-young-as-10/#education #Texas #politics #USpol #news

Featured story: What changed? How did Christianity become the political weapon we see today? A new book from historian Joseph L. Locke investigates how "militant" Christian nationalism became the state religion. https://www.texasobserver.org/one-state-under-god-book-review/#books #religion #Texas #politics #USpol #culture #history #bookstodon

"When you wake up in the morning and someone says: 'If you send me $10, my dear, and tell me about your day,' it’s like Stockholm Syndrome. It’s worth the $10 to keep pretending that there is this person who loves you and wants to hear about your day." https://www.texasobserver.org/austin-novel-romance-scammers/#fraud #scams #books #bookstodon #tech #MentalHealth #culture

Don't miss out ... Catch up with everything we've published from the July/August 2026 issue of our magazine: https://www.texasobserver.org/issues/july-august-2026/#journalism #media #Texas #politics #education #USpol #news #law #police