Good morning, 

It was 24 years ago today that 19 Islamic hijackers killed nearly 3,000 Americans and injured thousands more. Terror and tragedy were met by heroism and sacrifice. We must never forget.

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Charlie Kirk, 1993-2025

• Like so many Americans, all of us at Texas Scorecard were horrified by the murder—the assassination—of Charlie Kirk. I hope each of us will keep the Kirk family in our prayers.
      
• Texas officials have begun expressing their condolences.

Abbott Executive Order Bans THC Sales to Texans Under 21

• After two special sessions failed to produce a legislative deal on banning or regulating the sale of intoxicating THC products in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has taken unilateral action—though limited in scope. Brandon Waltens has the details.
     
• On Wednesday, the governor issued an executive order implementing a series of new restrictions aimed at limiting access to the controversial substances. It bans the sale of THC products to anyone under 21, requires ID checks for all purchasers, prohibits retail locations within 1,000 feet of schools or churches, and directs state agencies to review product testing protocols and raise licensing fees to improve enforcement.
      
• Abbott's executive action falls short of the sweeping prohibition sought by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and State Sen. Charles Perry (R–Lubbock) and approved by both chambers of the legislature in the spring.

Texas A&M Is Offering a ‘Race and Ethnicity’ Course This Fall

• With Texas A&M already in the hot seat after undercover recordings exposed an instructor encouraging the promotion of the LGBT agenda to children, a Texas Scorecard review by Robert Montoya finds a sociology course promoting a racialized worldview defined by race.
       
• The class, Introduction to Race and Ethnicity, is part of the university’s core curriculum. Key topics in the course include such things as "European colonization and its racial implications."
        
• Students are expected to analyze how society shapes race and ethnicity, study data on racial groups and racism, and apply insights to address organizational challenges, emphasizing clear communication, cultural awareness, and social responsibility.
        
• Many of the readings are from far-left radicals, like next week, when students are set to take up the writings of the “father of environmental justice.” Readings set for September 30 will cover the now-discredited Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization.

MORE FROM AGGIELAND

Texas State Professor Calls for Overthrow of US Government

• A Texas State University professor, Tom Alter, has expressed his support for overthrowing the U.S. government. As Adam Cahn reports, the comments came as part of the professor's participation in the virtual Revolutionary Socialism Conference 2025.
       
• In his speech to the conference, Alter said that "without organization, how can anyone expect to overthrow the most bloodthirsty, profit-driven, mad organization in the history of the world, that of the U.S. government?"
      
• Alter's academic career has been defined by extreme rhetoric and a hyper-radicalized leftwing agenda.
     
• A university official told Texas Scorecard that the institution "is investigating the matter and will take appropriate action based on the findings."

State Fair of Texas Keeps Controversial Firearms Ban In Place

• In preparation for the upcoming State Fair of Texas, the board of directors has released this year’s safety policies, which—as Addie Hovland reports—again include prohibiting the licensed carrying of firearms by attendees.
      
• After allowing attendees to lawfully carry firearms for 135 years prior, the ban came into effect following an incident in 2023 when an unlicensed attendee was arrested on charges of shooting and injuring three people.
     
• Soon after the ban was adopted, Attorney General Paxton filed suit against both the State Fair of Texas and the City of Dallas, arguing that licensed gun owners have the right to carry firearms into areas owned or leased by government entities. The 298th Judicial District Court in Dallas County ruled in July to uphold the ban, and appeals are underway.
       
• "The State Fair’s answer to a criminal sneaking in an illegal gun is to disarm law-abiding Texans—turning families into sitting ducks." – Chris McNutt of Texas Gun Rights 

Teacher Pleads Guilty To Sexting 15-Year-Old Student

• A now-former Gatesville Independent School District teacher was sentenced to eight years of probation after she pleaded guilty to sending a 15-year-old male student nude pictures on Instagram. Erin Anderson has the story.
     
• Christine Paige Cockrell, 54, was an eighth-grade teacher at Gatesville Junior High when she was arrested in 2024 for exchanging sexually explicit messages with a Gatesville student. The communications had begun in January 2023, when the boy was an eighth grader.
     
• Although Cockrell will permanently lose her teaching certificate as part of a plea deal, she will not have to register as a sex offender.

Whitesboro Postpones Property Tax Increase Over Legal Concerns

• Whitesboro’s elected city officials tabled consideration of a controversial property tax increase over concerns it might not be legal due to a new state law that limits tax rates if municipalities fail to comply with audit requirements.
      
• Council members were prepared to vote this week on a tax rate that is 51 percent higher than last year’s rate and would cost average Whitesboro homeowners an extra $498 in city property taxes—a 61 percent increase.
      
• State Rep. Shelley Luther (R–Sherman), whose district includes Whitesboro, also attended Tuesday night’s tax increase hearing. She advised city officials that a new law took effect on September 1 that requires municipalities to adopt the no-new-revenue property tax rate if they fail to comply with established state audit rules.
      
• Luther said she would be contacting the attorney general to ensure all cities are complying with the new law.

Quote-Unquote

"September 11 is one of our worst days but it brought out the best in us. It unified us as a country and showed our charitable instincts and reminded us of what we stood for and stand for."

– Lamar Alexander

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