Has anyone told the government lately that science is based on evidence? Scientists test a theory over and over and over obsessively before they deem anything definitively true, but all the government needs to differentiate fact from fiction is a vague claim and a prayer. “Tylenol causes autism,” “vaccines kill children” and, most recently, “life begins at fertilization.”
The March 2026 Republican primary ballot features 10 propositions. Though many stand out to me, none are as outrageous as Proposition 4. It states “Texas should require its public schools to teach that life begins at fertilization.” This statement passes an unsupported theory off as irrefutable fact.
Scientists don’t know when life begins. Yes, we know a lot about embryology and fetal development, but biologists have not yet reached a consensus on when individual human life begins. Any organization that tries to tell you otherwise — no matter how reputable they appear to be on the surface — is lying. The American Bioethics Advisory Commission, the American College of Pediatrics and countless others are backed by incredibly biased conservative individuals.
These organizations all claim to know for sure that life begins at fertilization, and they all have an ulterior motive for saying so. Truthfully, biologists have no answer for a developmental stage that marks the beginning of human life. So why teach otherwise?
The true motivation is much more sinister — to push an agenda. As of now, anyone with access to Google can find out the most up-to-date science regarding fetal development, but even that is under attack. The Trump administration has already been pulling funding from any research that doesn’t align with their own ideals. The next most convenient move would be to weed out anyone who dares pursue knowledge that would go against party views. Proposition 4 is the first step in that direction — indoctrinating schoolchildren with false ideas labeled as facts.
It wouldn’t be the first time. If you take one look at any government social media platforms like the White House’s X page, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Instagram page or the Department of Homeland Security’s Instagram page, you’ll be met with AI-generated Donald Trump dressed as the Pope and similar propaganda. They all paint the U.S. in a very specific light: one that eerily reflects the neo-Nazi movement and white nationalism.
Boasting themes of strength, dominance and immigrants being “the worst of the worst,” it is clear the Trump administration’s true intentions grossly misalign with education and truth. Make no mistake, Proposition 4 builds on this momentum to normalize placing propaganda directly into the Texas school curriculum. Teaching that life begins at fertilization normalizes letting lawmakers, rather than evidence-based scientific research, tell us what’s true.
But then again there’s the chance that I’m crazy and all the government wants is to act in the best interest of the citizens. They want to protect the lives of unborn Americans. That chance is squandered by Proposition 5 on the very same ballot.
It calls for a ban on gender, sexuality and reproductive clinics and services in K-12 schools. It aims to cut support for the very lives the Republican party claims to stand up for. If Republicans really wanted to protect unborn lives and bolster education, they would be pouring more funding into these programs, not banning them outright. Placing the ever-contradictory Propositions 4 and 5 right next to each other on the ballot is laughably ironic.
Unfortunately, the proposition will almost certainly pass in the primaries. Texas is historically red, and I imagine all 10 propositions will pass just as they did last year. To be clear, nothing passed in the primary elections is binding and no law will actually go into effect as a result of this vote alone. However, if these propositions pass in the primaries, they will appear on the ballot again during general elections. Passing at that stage would truly prove detrimental, so do everything in your power not to let it get there.
As Trinity students, we understand better than anyone the power of our vote. The university has received national recognition for our students’ voter engagement. There’s no reason that the primaries should be any different. Vote to keep science in our schools.
In the devastating but unsurprising event that propaganda is taught in our schools, I encourage you all to keep asking questions. Don’t let science die. Push your younger siblings, your younger cousins, your children, your nieces and nephews to keep pursuing knowledge. Our greatest weapon is the truth, so fight for knowledge and fight for science.
*This column was updated on Feb. 18, 2026.
