A couple of our readers have pointed to an example of how the debate over science education has divided conservative ranks. Joel Walker is a candidate for the local school board in College Station, home of Texas State Board of Education chairman Don McLeroy. While we can’t endorse Mr. Walker’s candicacy, we found his perspective on science […]
Textbook Censorship
The Right Is Riled Up about SBOE Bills
Far-right groups are blasting out e-mails calling on their foot soldiers to contact legisators in opposition to bills that would rein in the Texas State Board of Education’s authority. We wonder: why aren’t mainstream conservative groups coming out in opposition to common-sense legislation that puts management of the Permanent School Fund in the hands of real […]
McLeroy, His Second Cousin and Evolution
At his Senate confirmation hearing on April 22, Texas State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy once again rejected the expertise of hundreds of scientists, including Nobel laureates, who called on the board not to dumb down the public school science curriculum on evolution last month. Chairman McLeroy insisted, however, that he has a second […]
Flu: Why Studying Evolution Matters
Texas State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy has argued repeatedly that natural selection — he calls it “unguided natural processes” — doesn’t account for the diversity of life today. He also insists that understanding evolution isn’t really important to the study of the biological sciences. Well, Chairman McLeroy, meet the “swine flu.” Wendy Orent, author of “Plague: […]
Ed Board Extremists Target Social Studies
Having done what they could to muck up the state’s science curriculum standards, fringe right-wingers on the Texas State Board of Education are now moving to politicize the social studies curriculum for public schools. Texas Freedom Network just sent out the following press release: The Texas State Board of Education is set to appoint a […]
