An Austin American-Statesman editorial comes out, reluctantly, for Barbara Cargill’s confirmation to another term as chair of the Texas State Board of Education. The newspaper’s reasoning: “(R)eality is that Cargill appears to have the votes. Were the nomination to be rejected, the question becomes whom the governor would nominate next. Two names that immediately surfaced […]
State Board of Education
Cargill Science Comments at Hearing Highlight Concerns over Reappointment as Texas Ed Board Chair
We just got back from the Texas Senate Nominations Committee hearing on Barbara Cargill’s reappointment to another term as chair of the State Board of Education. We’ll have much more soon — including some alarming comments about science from both Cargill and at least one member of the Senate committee. Meanwhile, here’s the press release […]
Texans Deserve Answers: Senate Committee to Consider Cargill Nomination for SBOE Chair
The Texas Senate Nominations Committee will consider the reappointment of Barbara Cargill to another term as State Board of Education chair on Monday. Cargill is the third evolution-denier in a row appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to chair the board. The tenure of her two most recent predecessors — culture warriors Don McLeroy and Gail […]
Told You So: Texas Ed Board Chair Wants Science Textbooks to Teach 'Another Side' on Evolution
We told you this would happen. In 2009, when the Texas State Board of Education adopted new science curriculum standards, we warned that creationists had inserted language they would later try to exploit to pressure publishers into including junk-science arguments against evolution in new textbooks. Barbara Cargill, the Republican state board chair from The Woodlands […]
Mixed Signals from the Texas State Board of Education
We saw signs at today’s State Board of Education meeting that the pendulum might finally be swinging back toward the center on the body that decides what 5 million students learn in Texas public schools. If borne out in coming months, those signs are encouraging for the adoption of science and social studies textbooks over […]