Last week’s public hearing on proposed social studies curriculum standards for Texas public schools drew an interesting assortment of right-wing groups and ideologues. In fact, as the State Board of Education heard testimony inside the meeting room, Tea Partiers rallied in the lobby. The “rally” — if you can call it that — seemed mostly to […]
Recent Blogs
SBOE Campaign Finance Update
Less than three weeks into the 2010 election year, it appears that Texas State Board of Education incumbent Ken Mercer, R-San Antonio, has the best-financed challenger among contested state board races. Campaign finance reports were due from candidates by January 15. These reports cover the last six months of 2009. The next finance reports are due […]
David Barton Gets Defensive — and Vicious
David Barton, the self-styled historian appointed by the Texas State Board of Education to a panel of curriculum “experts,” is angry with the Texas Freedom Network. In an e-mail to far-right activists last week, the founder of WallBuilders (a Christian-right organization that opposes separation of church and state) brands TFN as a member of the […]
Whitewashing History?
One of the most heated exchanges during Friday’s debate by Texas State Board of Education members over new social studies curriculum standards came during discussion on a standard about women and ethnic minorities working to overcome discrimination in the past. The proposed standard for high school U.S. history read: “Explain actions taken by people from different […]
SBOE Postpones Further Demolition of Standards
The debate over the social studies curriculum standards ran so long that the State Board of Education has voted to postpone further debate on the standards until its March meeting. That means the final adoption of the standards will be pushed to May. We will keep you informed on developments. In the meantime, the Texas […]
