Back To School- Twin Laws For Multiples In Texas Give Parents “The Right To Choose”

As children, my twin sister and I were separated in schools because administrators thought it was a good idea. 

Wendy Wortham & Cindy Daniel AKA The Pawning Planners

The truth was that separation in school caused me to develop a chronic stutter that would stay with me for years.  Speech therapy finally accomplished the difficult task of overcoming my speech disability.

Fighting for the right to choose with my grandnieces and Cindy’s grandchildren, Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney wouldn’t be easy for us but, we wanted to change the rules to ensure that going to school wouldn’t include the trauma of separation.  While I recognize that a few parents of twins will disagree and plan to separate their children when they go to kindergarten, many twins and multiples will struggle with the decision.

Thanks to House Bill No. 314 things have changed for the parents of twins and multiples:

“An act relating to the classroom placement of multiple birth siblings in public schools.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas.

Section 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 25, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 25.043 to read as follows:

Classroom placement of multiple birth siblings in this section means:

1) Twin, Triplet, Quadruplets or other sibling resulting from multiple birth.

2)  Parent includes a person with standing in a parental/child relationship meaning Parent, Grandparent, or Guardian.

3)  the Parent or Guardian of multiple birth siblings who are assigned to the same grade level and school may request in writing, not later than the 14th day after the first day of enrollment, that the school place the siblings in the same classroom or, in separate classrooms.

4)  At the end of the first grading period if the Principal deems placement is disruptive to the school, the Principal may determine appropriate classroom placement.

5)  A Parent may appeal this decision in the manner provided by school policy.  During the appeal process, the multiple birth children shall remain in the classroom chosen by the Parent or Guardian.

This Bill was passed in Texas on March 28, 2007 with the following votes Yeas 143, Nays 0.”

Recent studies of this highly charged issue have proven that separation is often emotionally traumatic for twins and multiples. 

Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney

  

Makenna and Maryssa Mahaney


While having two sets of twins in the same family is rare, our second generation twins are very close and have compensating personalities just as my twin and I do. 

Two Sets Of Twins-Cindy Daniel, Wendy Wortham, Maryssa Mahaney, Makenna Mahaney- The Pawning Planners

Twins and multiples share a close relationship that sometimes “trumps” standard sibling relationships and, we are perhaps closer than a few of our twin friends because we live near one another and also work together for Texas Twins Events, Texas Twins Treasures & The Pawning Planners. 

Cindy Daniel & Wendy Wortham Refurbish A Texas Twins Treasures Barstool Set

Twins and multiples share a very special bond and we are blessed to have each other in our lives.

My twin sister can make me laugh when I’m sad or calm me down when I’m mad because she knows me very well and our Little Pawners Maryssa & Makenna share the same traits. 

Twinning And Winning- The Texas Twins of Texas Twins Events

Before you simply accept that your twins of multiples will be separated- decide whether the decision is right for you and your family.

Wendy M Wortham A TwinTeam- The Pawning Planners!