The Driving Force Behind UT's Admissions Lawsuit
Edward Blum's legal defense fund is behind Fisher v. University of Texas, which could halt the use of race in university admissions. Full Story
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Morgan Smith
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Morgan Smith was a reporter at the Tribune from 2009 to 2018, covering politics, public education and inequality. In 2013, she received a National Education Writers Association award for “Death of a District,” a series on school closures. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Wellesley College, she moved to Austin in 2008 to enter law school at the University of Texas. A San Antonio native, her work has also appeared in Slate, where she spent a year as an editorial intern in Washington D.C.
Past Contributions
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![Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation, in his Manhattan apartment on Feb. 22, 2012.]()
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UT Goes to Washington
With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this to hear an affirmative action case against the University of Texas, the university’s policies are once again poised to become a flashpoint in national discourse about the proper role of race in college admissions. Full Story
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![The University of Texas at Austin.]()
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Fisher v. Texas Headed to High Court
UPDATED: University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers has responded to the U.S. Supreme Court decision to hear an affirmative action case that argues the university's race-conscious admissions policy violates the rights of white students. Full Story
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Texas Education Agency Delays STAAR's 15 Percent Rule
Education Commissioner Robert Scott said today that he will postpone for a year a controversial requirement that new exams count for 15 percent of students' final grades. Full Story
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Turf for Sale: Schools Turn to Ads for Money
Texas school districts are getting into the advertising game as they look for ways to make ends meet after major state budget cuts. But some researchers question whether schools fully grasp the consequences of creeping commercialism. Full Story
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![Eanes ISD school bus mechanic Chase Roberts washes the dirt off the advertising on buses in West Lake Hills, Texas, on Feb. 14, 2012.]()
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Eissler Circulates Letter Asking for Delay of STAAR Rule
House Public Education Chairman Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, is planning to send a letter to the state education czar asking the Texas Education Agency to defer implementation of STAAR's 15 percent rule. Full Story
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![State Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, votes on an amendment for Senate Bill 8 on June 16, 2011.]()
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Shapiro Says TEA Has Authority to Waive STAAR Requirement
State Sen. Florence Shapiro has sent a letter to the Texas Education Agency saying that she believes it has the power to delay a requirement that new exams count toward 15 percent of students' final grades. Full Story
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In Texas, a Backlash Against Student Testing
With the more-rigorous STAAR testing system set to debut this year, a backlash appears to building against standardized testing in the state. And some legislators are mulling how to postpone some of the tests’ consequences for students. Full Story
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Scott vs. The World
Texas Education Agency commissioner Robert Scott touched off political controversy this week when he told a gathering of 4,000 school officials in Austin that standardized testing had gone too far in Texas. Full Story
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![Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott answers questions at TASA midwinter conference in Austin, Texas February 1st, 2011]()
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Education Commissioner's Remarks Draw Backlash
Some high-profile members of the education community aren't pleased with Texas Education Agency chief Robert Scott's speech on Tuesday criticizing the role of testing in schools. Full Story
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![Robert Scott, the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, at a State Board of Education meeting on Sept. 24, 2010.]()
Credit: Elise Hu
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