WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Texas proudly recognizes exceptional Texans whose courage, integrity, and dedication to truth advance accountability, transparency, and the protection of Texas families; and

WHEREAS, Erin Anderson, an investigative journalist with Texas Scorecard, has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to exposing sexual-abuse-related educator misconduct and uncovering systemic failures that have placed Texas students at grave risk and violated public trust; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson’s reporting has revealed not only general misconduct, but also an alarming and persistent pattern of sexual abuse, sexual grooming, and failures by school districts and administrators to properly address or report suspected abuse, despite clear and mandatory obligations under state law; and

WHEREAS, her work has amplified the voices of victims and exposed how repeated failures at the district level have allowed predators to remain in classrooms, move between districts, and continue harming children; and

WHEREAS, despite Texas law making it a state jail felony for administrators to ignore or mishandle suspected abuse, Ms. Anderson uncovered widespread and repeated lapses in enforcement and oversight by the Texas Education Agency – failures that have allowed sexual misconduct cases to persist unchecked and without consequence; and

WHEREAS, through her in-depth investigations of “bad apples” within the education system, Ms. Anderson has revealed that sexual misconduct by educators is far more pervasive than publicly acknowledged, and that existing safeguards – including the “Don’t Pass the Trash” law and the state’s “Do Not Hire” registry – have too often been minimized, ignored, or undermined through noncompliance; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson’s courageous journalism played a critical role in the passage of House Bill 4623 during the 89th Legislature, a landmark law that removes sovereign immunity from civil liability for public school entities that are negligent in hiring, employing, or reporting educator sexual misconduct – thereby empowering victims and families to seek justice when schools violate their duty to protect children; and

WHEREAS, Erin Anderson exemplifies the highest ideals of responsible journalism: fearlessly holding powerful officials accountable, defending vulnerable students, and serving the public good with unwavering courage and integrity; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas hereby commends Erin Anderson for her outstanding investigative reporting, her steadfast advocacy for victims of sexual abuse, and her vital role in exposing the failures of districts to eradicate sexual misconduct in Texas schools.