Today Texas lawmakers picked up a bigger megaphone to get the attention of a bitterly divided, out-of-control State Board of Education. At a Capitol press conference, members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) announced that they are scheduling a public hearing for April 28 to examine how and why the state board has run off the […]
Texas politics
A Plea for Change on the SBOE
As we all wait for election results this evening, check out Paul Burka’s excellent essay about the State Board of Education that just went online at Texas Monthly. Money quotes: “I do not toss around the term ‘far right’ groundlessly. Here is how retiring board member Cynthia Dunbar describes the institution of public education in […]
McLeroy, Mercer Get Late Money
Houston homebuilder Bob Perry put $5,000 into College Station incumbent Don McLeroy‘s shaky State Board of Education campaign on Friday, according to a “telegram” report published on the Texas Ethics Commission Web site late today. San Antonio incumbent Ken Mercer also reported $1,200 in late contributions from two donors (but not Perry) over the weekend. […]
Barton: Garbage in, Garbage out
The Texas Tea Party provides another good example of how David Barton’s poor scholarship (if you can call it scholarship) isn’t just bad for public education – it also fosters falsehoods and distortions throughout our civic life. One of the links on the Tea Party Web site asks: “What of our Christian Heritage?” Visitors then […]
Childish Taunts in Governor’s Race
No one should be surprised by taunting in partisan politics. But are there no limits? Today’s e-mail from the right-wing, Midland-based lobby group/PAC Empower Texans notes that Democrats Farouk Shami and Bill White will square off on Monday in a gubernatorial debate. “The comedy factor will be high, if for no other reason than both men […]