| Good Morning, State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley on Tuesday morning made clear that Louisiana public schools would not include critical race theory in their curriculum. But students would be taught expanded social studies standards that includes the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation to the ratification of the 19th Amendment allowing women to vote to show “the journey towards freedom has been one of struggles and sacrifice," he said. Louisiana legislators spent the last week presenting bills that would set for the next decade who votes for which state representative and senator, congressperson, state school policy board member and utility regulator. Basically, Republicans have submitted status quo maps that keep, sometimes increase, GOP seats across state government. Democrats point out that the White population has dropped from nearly two-thirds of the state’s 4.6 million people to 57%. Meanwhile, the numbers of minorities, particularly Black people, have increased but that’s not reflected in the proposed distribution of elected officials, civil rights and human rights advocates contend. Voting patterns in Louisiana show that White voters tend to back Republican candidates, while Black voters favor Democratic contenders – meaning that a shift in racial makeup in the districts could change the party affiliation of whomever wins elections for a particular seat. This afternoon at 2 p.m., the full Senate and full House are to vote on GOP bills that limit or reduce the number of seats that minority candidates have a reasonable shot at winning. Republicans hold overwhelming majorities in both chambers and can pass whatever they want. You can watch the proceedings via livestream at http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Home.aspx The likelihood that all these plans will be challenged in court as discriminatory is extremely high. The state Senate is set to consider Senate Bill 1, by Senate President Page Cortez, that basically moves the seat of a term-limited Shreveport senator to south Louisiana and decreases minority representation in the upper chamber by one. Senators also will vote on Senate Bill 5, by Sen. Sharon Hewitt, which keeps two congressional districts based in north Louisiana, where the population has decreased, and the number of districts that elect White Republicans to Congress at five. Black voters, like over the past 10 years, are packed into a single district that stretches from New Orleans East up the Mississippi River – often only single precinct deep – into north Baton Rouge. In the House, representatives will vote on House Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s House Bill 1, which is remarkably similar to the Senate’s plan as well as House Bill 3 by Rep. Polly Thomas that does not add an additional minority member to the Board of Elementary & Secondary Education. House Bill 2, by Rep. John Stefanski, is the first of three bills that are relatively similar and set district lines for the Public Service Commission. As always, check throughout the day for the latest Louisiana political news at theadvocate.com/politics or NOLA.com/politics and on Twitter at @MarkBallardCNB, @tegbridges, @samkarlin, @blakepater, @WillSentell. Here are a dozen articles, commentaries and editorials that will catch you up for the week to come. One last item: Thank you to our subscribers. Your support means a great deal to us. If you're not yet a subscriber, we’ve got a special offer you can check out here. – Mark Ballard | 