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The Austin Chronicle •

New Texas Law Will Require Most K-12 Teachers to Be Certified

Texas school districts have increasingly turned to uncertified teachers to fill classrooms during a historic teacher shortage. But a new provision in House Bill 2 is poised to phase out that reliance.






One part of the bill (Section 21.0032) will require all K-5 math and reading teachers to be certified by fall 2026 and all teachers in other core subjects like science and social studies to be certified by fall 2027. The policy allows a phased reduction of uncert...
The University Star •

Rabid raccoon found in San Marcos neighborhood

A raccoon found in a San Marcos neighborhood has tested positive for rabies, city officials confirmed in a press release.
The animal was spotted on April 14 near Coers Circle, close to Old Ranch Road 12 and Franklin Drive. San Marcos Animal Protection Officers responded, collected the raccoon and submitted it for testing to the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin.
The test came back positive. The resident who reported the raccoon and had physical contact with it is now receiving...
The University Star •

Appeals court overturns San Marcos’ marijuana decriminalization ordinance

A Texas appellate court ruled that San Marcos’ voter-approved marijuana decriminalization ordinance, known as Proposition A, is unenforceable under state law.
In a decision issued April 17, the newly established Fifteenth Court of Appeals sided with the State of Texas in its lawsuit against the city, mayor, city council and San Marcos police chief. The court found the ordinance, passed by more than 81% of San Marcos voters in 2022, violates Section 370.003 of the Texas Local Government Code, whi...
The Austin Chronicle •

UT Students Walk Out Demanding Immigrant Student Protections

A small group of students walked out of class Wednesday morning at the University of Texas at Austin, gathering beneath the Tower to demand that the university take concrete steps to protect immigrant and international students.






Organized by the Austin chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the demonstration responded to what organizers called “federal repression” under President Trump’s crackdown on immigration and UT’s quiet in the face of it....
The Austin Chronicle •

Queer-Owned Bar Austin Eagle Temporarily Closes After Construction Accident

The Austin Eagle, a queer-owned bar known for its inclusive atmosphere and packed event calendar in Northeast Austin, has temporarily closed after a mechanical lift fell and damaged the back of the building on Tuesday.






According to co-owner Luis Surratt, a contractor working at the adjacent post office rented a mobile lift to change outdoor lighting. While operating on a slope, the lift tipped backward into the structure shared by the Eagle and a neighboring p...
The University Star •

TXST responds to backlash on Bobcat Shuttles transporting individuals to anti-Trump protest

Videos circulating on TikTok and X over the weekend show Texas State shuttles transporting demonstrators to the “Hands Off!” protest in Austin on Saturday. 
The nationwide mobilization opposed President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, drawing thousands of participants, including students from across Texas. Apart from Austin, there was a Hands Off! protest at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 5, at the Stallion statue on campus that drew a crowd of less than 20, contrary to the turnout of more than a thousa...
The University Star •

Inside the Capitol: House Bill 3 & Senate Bill 2

“I think the biggest change it would make for me, honestly, is getting out of the state of Texas,” Blumenshein said. “I still feel called to public school… But I’ve even said to my partner, ‘We might need to move sooner. This is not looking good.’”
The bills she’s referring to are House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 2, which would establish Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) – essentially school vouchers – that use public tax dollars to help parents cover private school tuition. If passed, the state wou...
The Austin Chronicle •

Downtown Austin Experiences the Moontower Effect

When Moontower lights up Downtown from April 9-19, it’ll be with more than just marquee names and standing ovations. The 11-day comedy festival returns with a blend of national stars and local standouts – mixing the seasoned with the emerging, the personal with the absurd.

Austin comic Kandace Medina will take the stage for her second Moontower with a set as emotionally raw as it is refined. “This is probably one of the most open sets I’ve had ... specifically about suicide,” she says. “Comedy...
The Austin Chronicle •

“District of Austin” Legislation Fails for a Third Time

For the third legislative session in a row, a proposal to strip Austin of its city status and place it under direct state control has failed – with a resounding bipartisan rejection.






On March 26, the Texas House Committee on State Affairs voted 11-0 to kill House Bill 274, filed by Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park. The bill aimed to create the “District of Austin,” a new legal entity that would serve as the official seat of state government, effectively reclassi...
The Austin Chronicle •

Eugenics Controversy Looms Over Natal Conference at UT’s AT&T Center

A conference promoting pro-natalism – a belief in maximizing births in response to declining birth rates which they believe threaten civilization – will take place later this month at the University of Texas at Austin’s AT&T Hotel and Conference Center. Speakers include advocates for genetic selection and pseudoscience attempting to legitimize racism.

The Natal Conference, set for March 28-29, markets itself as a premier gathering of scholars, policymakers, and tech entrepreneurs discussing sol...
The Austin Chronicle •

Texas Bill Would Require “Biological Sex” on IDs

When UT-Austin’s Lauren Gutterman, a professor of American and gender studies, first heard about House Bill 2549, she thought of something dark: Nazi Germany’s use of the pink triangle to identify and stigmatize LGBTQ+ people.

The recently filed bill, introduced in the Texas Legislature, would require that all state-issued IDs, including driver’s licenses and personal identification cards, list an individual’s sex as determined at birth, effectively erasing legal recognition of gender transitio...
The Austin Chronicle •

ACC’s Recently Launched Free Tuition Program Is Changing the Student Population

Austin Community College’s free tuition program was hailed as a game-changer when it launched in fall 2024. Now, one semester in, the data – and the students themselves – are starting to paint a clearer picture of its impact. Enrollment has surged, math courses are overflowing and students like Cassidy Hernandez say the opportunity has been life-changing.

Cassidy, a first-year ACC student studying pastry arts, didn’t always think college was in the cards. “I was considering taking a year off to...
The Austin Chronicle •

Bills Reignite Debates Over Church-State Separation

This legislative session, some Texas lawmakers are again looking to inject religion into public schools. Senate Bill 10 would require every classroom to display the Ten Commandments, while Senate Bill 11 would create a daily period for prayer and religious readings. Both bills, championed by conservative legislators, have reignited debates over religious freedom, the separation of church and state, and the First Amendment.

Supporters argue the measures uphold America’s Christian heritage, but c...
The Austin Chronicle •

Advocates Rally Against Removal of Disability Rights at Capitol

On Tuesday, a coalition of disability rights activists gathered outside the Texas State Capitol, braving the dusty winds to send Attorney General Ken Paxton a clear message.






Organized by ADAPT of Texas, the rally opposed the September 2024 lawsuit, Texas v. Becerra, which challenges the constitutionality of accessibility protections. If successful, the lawsuit could strip some civil rights for millions of disabled Americans.
The rally dubbed "Don’t mess with 5...
The Austin Chronicle •

Suspected El Paso Serial Killer Near Execution Insists He’s Innocent

After 31 years behind bars, David Wood, one of Texas’ longest-serving death row inmates, is scheduled for execution on March 13. Convicted in 1992 for the murders of six women in El Paso, Wood’s case has long been marked by contested evidence, unreliable testimony, and, now, new forensic findings that his attorneys argue prove his innocence.

Branded the “Desert Killer” by prosecutors, Wood was accused of luring women into his pickup truck, driving them to the desert, sexually assaulting them, a...
The Austin Chronicle •

Michelle Obama Returns to SXSW

Michelle Obama is no stranger to South by Southwest. In 2016, she delivered a powerhouse music keynote alongside Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah, and we can reasonably expect another powerhouse address when she returns to SXSW on March 13.






This time, it’s personal. The former first lady and bestselling author will sit down in conversation with her brother, Craig Robinson, to unpack the values that shaped them: family, resilience, and leadership. Their conversa...
The Austin Chronicle •

Lawmakers Consider Restricting College Degrees Leading to Low-Paying Jobs

Higher education in Texas is not only changing with federal funding cuts. It is also a key issue in the 89th Texas Legislature – again. While debates over DEI policies and state funding dominated the previous session, this time Texas Republicans are pushing to restrict degree programs based on how graduates’ debt stacks up against their income.

While in many countries public university education is free, in Texas students owe a staggering $120 billion in federal student loans. As student loan d...
The Austin Chronicle •

Valentine's and Beyond With This Weekend's Recommended Events

Thursday 13, Texas Science & Natural History Museum

If you’re looking for a cool but nerdy way to celebrate life and love, pop into this pre-Valentine’s party offering unique fun and discovery. Beyond scoping out the museum’s fascinating exhibits and learning about prehistoric mating behavior, enjoy music in the Great Hall, a build-your-own-bouquet station, a Valentine card crafting station, and a Polaroid station, plus complimentary snacks and a cash bar. But the real pièce de résistance: the...
The Austin Chronicle •

A Winter Formal, a Yellow Brick Ball, and More Recommended Events

Thursday 23, the Butterfly Bar

You may imagine, yes, that this show’s solely for the lagomorphs among us. Nay, nay. Medieval New Wave band Marine Kimono perform their original work for all Earth’s creatures this Thursday, as well as compositions for Sarah Saltwick’s play Rabbits. While the Chris Fontanes-directed piece doesn’t hop onto the Vortex stage ’til Jan. 30, you’ll get a sneak peek into the “hare”-brained postapocalyptic story through MK’s sounds and onstage shadow projects. Make a frea...
The University Star •

TXST community holds protest against ICE raids

Approximately 30 students gathered at the Stallions statue on Wednesday, Jan. 29, protesting Trump’s crackdown on immigration since assuming his second term as president.
Jaidenn Morales, computer science freshman, organized Wednesday’s protest independently and said it is rooted in the increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The protest was not affiliated with Texas State. 
“This really affects me as a Mexican and seeing ICE deport kids in elementary school is dishearten...
The University Star •

Right swipe, wrong intentions: TXST community discusses online dating culture

Trigger warning: this story contains mentions of dating violence.
Texas is the ninth-most dangerous state for online dating in the U.S., according to a study by the Privacy Journal.
From the likes of Tinder, Hinge and Bumble, dating apps are one of the most prominent ways to meet romantic partners – specifically among college-aged individuals.
The Privacy Journal ranked all 50 states on online dating risks, giving Texas a score of 51.53 out of 100. In Texas, reports linked to online dating inclu...
The University Star •

UPD increases residential hall patrols

University Police Department (UPD) officers are patrolling dorms more frequently this semester in an effort to enhance security in on-campus housing.
According to UPD Chief Matthew Carmichael, officers conducted 595 patrol checks across all 26 dorms in January, a significant increase from 215 in January 2024. Since the beginning of the semester, at least one officer has been stationed at each dorm “all the time,” something Carmichael hopes to continue going forward.
Carmichael said UPD leadershi...
The Austin Chronicle •

We Give Two Thumbs Up to These Weekend Events

Thursday 30, Vacancy Brewing

Ever the contrarian, I prefer The Traitors UK’s cast of normies versus the U.S.’s bench of backstabbing reality TV all-stars pulled from Survivor, Big Brother, and the Real Housewives franchise, but whichever flavor you choose of this reality competition show (there are about 20 international versions in rotation), you’re bound to get addicted. The biggest barrier to entry – who the heck has a Peacock subscription? Vacancy Brewing does! Enjoy new episodes with other...
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