TEXAS SCHOOLS 2025: No Phones, More Prayer… and No Furries?!

Big changes are hitting Texas classrooms this school year, and students, parents, and teachers are all going to feel it.

First up—phones are out. House Bill 1481 puts a “bell-to-bell” ban on cellphones, tablets, smartwatches—you name it. If it’s a personal device, it stays put until the last bell, unless you’ve got a medical or special education exception.

Then there’s Senate Bill 10, which says every classroom has to display the Ten Commandments in a big framed or poster format. Senate Bill 11 adds the option for schools to have a daily prayer or Bible reading—only if parents give the green light.

Lawmakers also passed Senate Bill 12, which cuts Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, bans LGBTQ+ clubs, and stops teachers from using pronouns that don’t match a student’s birth sex.

Teachers now get more power to deal with bad behavior, thanks to new discipline rules. That includes longer in-school suspensions and the option for mental health help through telemedicine—again, with parental approval.

Parents will also have a bigger say over what books their kids can check out from the school library. High schoolers now have to take a personal finance class before graduation. And don’t be surprised if the lunch menu changes—certain additives are now banned.

On the upside for educators, there’s more funding, better pay for experienced teachers, and improved special ed support.

And here’s what’s still on the table: the proposed FURRIES Act would ban animal-like costumes and roleplaying in schools, while the Women’s Bill of Rights would define “sex” in state law strictly by biological traits.

Bottom line: this school year is going to feel a whole lot different in Texas—and people already have plenty to say about it.

Take the poll and see the comments other Majic 102.1 listeners made about the new school rules below.