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FBISD board hears from Bluebonnet curriculum critics By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
In an unusually contentious workshop meeting, the Fort Bend ISD board on Monday heard from several people opposed to a recently stateapproved elementary school language arts curriculum which many critics say overemphasizes Christianity in its lesson plans. Last fall, the State Board of Education narrowly approved the so-called Bluebonnet curriculum for use in elementary schools across the state which, per a bill passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023, has financial incentives attached for school districts which adopt it. Fort Bend ISD currently uses its own board-approved language arts curriculum, including for elementary schools, according to a presentation by staff members on Monday. The Bluebonnet curriculum - the authorship of which has never been publicly disclosed - has received widespread criticism in Texas and elsewhere because it incorporates stories from the Judeo-Christian tradition, among other sources, in its lesson plans. Some critics have said those lessons draw from a particular version of Christianity at the expense of other religious traditions. Fort Bend ISD, the sixth-largest district in the state, is regarded, like the county at large, as one of the most diverse communities in the nation. During an opening presentation, Melissa Hubbard, the district’s director of teaching and learning, provided an extensive overview of how the Bluebonnet curriculum came about as an option for school districts to adopt to meet state requirements. Although approved by the State Board of Education, Bluebonnet is not mandated, districts that adopt it can receive $60 per pupil, with and additional $20 per pupil for printing costs, Hubbard said. She provided no estimate of how much additional funding Fort Bend ISD might receive if it adopts Bluebonnet. The lessons for pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade use a variety of sources, including novels, for teaching reading comprehension, Hubbard said. While some of the lessons refer to religious traditions such as ancient Norse gods, she said, many of them are drawn from
SEE BLUEBONNET PAGE 2
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Fort Bend library system acknowledges cyber attack By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
More than two weeks after patrons of the Fort Bend County Libraries system noticed that the system’s website and computer systems were not operating as usual, the library director on Wednesday said in a written statement that the system had suffered a “network disruption” from outside. The statement was released only after the situation was first reported by the Fort Bend Independent newspaper and after the Fort Bend Commissioners Court, in a special called meeting last Thursday, voted unanimously to hire the services of several in-
formation technology firms and a law firm. The commissioners made the vote after a lengthy executive session with little information about the reasoning behind the decision made publicly available. “On February 24th, the library became aware of a network disruption that impacted some of its services. Upon learning of the incident, our IT professionals took immediate action to mitigate its impact, and most online resources have since been restored. We are also working with cybersecurity professionals to investigate the matter,” Roosevelt Weeks, director of the library system, said in the statement. “We recognize that this may
cause concern regarding the security of patrons’ personal information. We want to reassure the community that the library intentionally limits the types of personal information it collects from patrons. The library does not store personal information from patrons that could easily be used to commit identity theft or fraud—such as social security numbers or financial information. Our primary objective is to restore full services and ensure the security of the library’s network,” Weeks said. “We sincerely appreciate your patience during this time, and
SEE CYBERSECURITY PAGE 2
The director of the Fort Bend County Libraries system acknowledged for the first time last week a “network disruption” hampering its computer systems that occurred on February 24. Pictured is the George Memorial Library in Richmond, the system's central branch. File photo
SPREADING WINGS
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andolph Watson of Houston SPCA Wildlife Center of Texas introduces festival attendees to a Crested caracara, a raptor that is native to South Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast at Missouri City's Edible Earth Fest on Saturday. The center rehabilitates injured wildlife in the greater Houston area. Photo by Ken Fountain. See more photos of the event on page 5.
HAR: Area home sales cool in February Staff Reports The Greater Houston housing market cooled in February, with sales moderating as more homes were listed for sale. Economic conditions, including elevated mortgage rates and inflation concerns, are impacting buyer sentiment and contributing to this move toward a more balanced market, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ February 2025 Housing Market Update. Single-family home sales across the Greater Houston area declined 3.0 percent year-over-year, with 6,050 units sold compared to 6,234 last February. It marks the first decline in sales since August 2024. The number of available homes in the Houston area hit the highest level since 2011, with 31,112 active listings in February. The median home price declined 1.2 percent to $325,000, which is the first notable decline since November 2023. The average price increased slightly to $407,538. This was largely due to continued activity at the high end of the market, which is less susceptible to interest rate changes.
The segment of the market comprised of homes priced between $150,000 and $249,999 saw the strongest performance with sales up 2.0 percent compared to last year. The luxury segment ($1 million+) followed with a 1.9 percent increase in transactions. Sales declined across all other housing segments in February. “We are seeing a shift to a more balanced market, arguably a buyer’s market, which offers more opportunities for those looking to purchase a home,” said HAR Chair Shae Cottar with LPT Realty. “While economic conditions are influencing buying behaviors and decision-making, the expansion of inventory is providing consumers with a wider selection of homes. Hesitant buyers are turning to rental housing as a practical alternative.” The rental market saw increased demand in February.
February Monthly Market Comparison February marked the first time total property sales were in negative territory since September 2024 as housing in Houston and across the U.S. felt the impacts from economic
The Greater Houston housing market cooled in February, with sales moderating as more homes were listed for sale, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. File photo headwinds. Total property sales de- volume, with 6,050 units sold comclined 4.7 percent year-over-year. pared to 6,234 during the same time Total dollar volume was statistically in 2024. The average home price rose 2.3 flat at $2.8 billion. Active listings, or the total number of available proper- percent year-over-year to $407,538, ties, rose 26.7 percent compared to representing a slower rate of growth last February. compared to the previous four months. The median price was down 1.2 perSingle-Family Homes Update cent, which is the biggest decline in February marked the first decline 15 months, to $325,000. The price in sales of single-family homes in six months. Sales in the Houston area were 3.0 percent below last year’s SEE HAR PAGE 2