RAC-TX

The Texas Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is mobilizing to protect religious freedom in public education at the Texas State Board of Education. On April 6-7, the SBOE will vote on mandating Christian Bible readings in public school curriculum. RAC-TX is organizing Reform Jews in a statewide multifaith coalition to prevent the reading list from being adopted. Our coalition is focusing on the April 7 vote while our partners work on April 6. Public schools are where we cultivate the next leaders of our nation, and they deserve to learn in a space that celebrates all faiths, rather than impose one on all students.

Take Action

• Learn more and sign up to testify in Austin on Tuesday, April 7 (We are gauging needs for transportation, including a bus from DFW and potentially Houston)
• If you can’t join us in Austin, sign up for resources on submitting public comments online  

Update

• Our SBOE campaign comes after our successful campaign against Senate Bill 11, the state-organized prayer in school law. The law, which took effect on September 1, 2025, required school districts to vote on whether to adopt state-organized prayer and religious study during the school day. The deadline to vote was March 1. RAC-TX organized in 36 school districts representing 1.6 million students, all of which voted against SB11. As part of our larger coalition of multifaith and secular groups, we saw similar success in thousands of school districts statewide.
• Watch this space for updates on our campaign. To be the first to find out about action steps, sign up for emails at the bottom of this page. 

Campaign Partners

Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC), Christians Against Christian Nationalism, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), National Council of Jewish Women Dallas, Texas Freedom Network, Texas Impact, Pastors for Texas Children, Faith Commons, and Freedom From Religion Foundation

On April 15, join us virtually for an inspiring hour to learn more about how the upcoming elections will shape our communities' realities, particularly for our immigrant neighbors. We will hear from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, sing with Elana Arian, and be in community as we make sure every voice can be heard. Register Today!

• Protecting Religious Freedom in Schools since 2023
  
  In 2025 and 2026, RAC-TX petitioned Texas school boards to vote against Senate Bill 11, which would allow a daily period of state-organized prayer where students would be led in prayer by school officials. Working with a multifaith and secular coalition, we helped nearly all of Texas’s 1,200 districts vote against the bill. Reform Jews organized with RAC-TX in 36 districts, representing 1.6 million students, all of which voted against SB11. This included assisting in a statewide letter from over 160 clergy members condemning the law. Read more.  
  
  In 2023 and 2024, RAC-TX advocated for Texas school boards to vote against the creation of school chaplain programs. Leading a coalition of Jewish organizations and alongside interfaith organizations, we helped stop the program in the state’s 25 largest school districts.. Read more.
   
• Expanding Maternal Medicaid in 2022
  
  Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and subsequent banning of abortion in Texas in 2022, RAC-TX successfully advocated for the passage of HB 12, which expanded the maternal Medicaid program from 2 months postpartum to 12 months postpartum. This provided crucial medical care to new mothers.  
   
• Advocating for Texans' Freedom to Vote in 2021
  
  RAC-TX members met with dozens of legislators and local election officials to generate strong opposition to state bills that would make it harder for Texans to vote. Read more.
   
• Supporting Funding for Schools in 2019
  
  In 2019, RAC-TX members successfully advocated for billions of dollars in new funding for schools across the state. Read more.

• More than 160 Texas Faith Leaders Oppose State-organized Prayer (2026)
• RAC-TX Condemns Attacks on Transgender Youth (2022)
• What it Means to be Pro-Lives, and Not Just Pro-Life (2021)
• Teens Advocate at Texas Capitol for Voting Rights (2021)