“Christians Need Not Apply”

That is the title of a new screed by SBOE Rep. Ken Mercer, R-San Antonio. According to Mercer, the Senate is blocking the nomination of Don McLeroy as board chair not because his tenure has been an unmitigated disaster, but because McLeroy is — you guessed it — a Christian. It is official; conservative Christians are unqualified […]

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Live Blogging the McLeroy Hearing

The Senate Nominations Committee is considering Don McLeroy’s appointment as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education. Gov. Rick Perry appointed McLeroy as chairman in July 2007, after the last legislative session. The Senate now has the chance to confirm or reject McLeroy’s appointment. 4:55 – Dr. McLeroy, a Bryan dentist, is now before […]

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Follow Testimony on TX Sex Ed Bills Online

The Texas House Public Education Committee is about to take up two key bills that would bring important reforms to what the state’s public schools teach about sex education. Click here for a live video webcast of the hearing. (Then click on LiveStream 6 for the Public Education Committee meeting.) TFN Insider will also be […]

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Ignorance Breeds Ignorance on Sex Ed

It’s bad enough that Texas is failing teens by promoting ignorance about responsible pregnancy and disease prevention in sexuality education classes. But is it really too much to ask that public policy-makers and assorted pressure groups not wallow in ignorance as well? Our new report on sexuality education reveals that more than nine in 10 public school districts in […]

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Your Words Say ‘No,’ But Your Lobbyist Says ‘Yes’

Creationist members of the State Board of Education repeatedly assert that their crusade to teach kids the “weaknesses” or “limitations” of evolution has nothing to do with religion. We heard it time and again at the state board hearing on Wednesday. One of the testifiers, Jonathan Saenz, tried to explain this to the Houston Chronicle: “The reality […]

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