TFN Insider at the Texas SBOE

TFN Insider will be blogging today from the Texas State Board of Education hearing on proposed new social studies curriculum standards.  The Dallas Morning News provides a good preview of the expected debate over the standards. Money quote: “Unlike science, where most of the debate was over evolution, the list of items to be discussed […]

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No to Grammar, But Yes to John Wayne?

David Barton is complaining about a bogus “war on Christmas” in proposed new social studies curriculum standards, but what about his “war on grammar”? And Barton has also complained that too many “insignificant” historial figures have been included in the standards, crowding out people he thinks are more important. So why is he proposing that […]

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SBOE Takes Up Social Studies This Week

The debate over new social studies curriculum standards will shift into higher gear when the Texas State Board of Education meets this week. TFN Insider will provide updates about the action here. On Thursday the board will hear from so-called “experts” it has appointed to a special panel helping guide the revision of the social […]

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Race and Social Studies in Texas

It has been increasingly difficult to ignore the racially charged statements that keep coming from far-right members of the State Board of Education and their appointees to panels helping revise social studies curriculum standards for Texas public schools. In fact, their statements are becoming increasingly incendiary, as if they are hoping to provoke a bitter and […]

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It’s Likely to Get Worse, Unfortunately

No one should be surprised that right-wingers are pressuring writing teams to craft new Texas public school social studies curriculum standards that are slanted to the political right. We reported in June that State Board of Education members had seeded the writing teams with far-right extremists who rail against immigration and think new President Obama is […]

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