As the Texas State Board of Education prepares to adopt new science textbooks for public schools this year, we expect to see plenty of junk science thrown around by evolution deniers. And among the most prominent evolution deniers are the folks at the Discovery Institute — the Seattle-based outfit that promotes the concept of “intelligent […]
Textbook Censorship
The Texas State Board of Education decides what every student in Texas public schools will learn from kindergarten through high school. The board does so by adopting curriculum standards and textbooks for public schools in the state.
For decades, far-right politicians on the State Board of Education and their extremist allies have taken advantage of this flawed system to dismiss the advice of experts and scholars. They have instead worked to inject their personal views into textbooks on everything from evolution and climate change to the history of slavery, civil rights, and separation of church and state.
Resources
- Report Reveals Serious Flaws in Social Studies Textbooks
- The State Board of Education: Dragging Texas Schools into the Culture Wars (2008 report)
- Evolution, Creationism & Public Schools: Surveying Texas Scientists (2008 report)
- Culture Wars and the Classroom (2010 report)
- Senate Bill 6: Changes in the Textbook Adoption Process (2011 report)
- Texas Science Curriculum Standards: Challenges (2012 report)
- Science Textbook Review (2013 report)
- Social Studies Textbook Review (2014 report)
Texas Congressman Peddles Obama Falsehood in CSCOPE Witch Hunt
Congressman Steve Stockman of Friendswood (near Houston) is wading into the bizarre political witch hunt over the CSCOPE curriculum management system targeted by far-right activists in recent months. And — no surprise — the Republican tea partyer is peddling the right-wing conspiracy myth that President Obama is trying to take over Texas schools. Stockman’s campaign […]
Positive Developments Today on the Texas SBOE's CSCOPE Review
In addition to passing a resolution today opposing private school vouchers, the Texas State Board of Education also passed a resolution dealing with its review of the CSCOPE curriculum management system. We noted some serious concerns regarding that review yesterday. What we heard during the CSCOPE discussion today, however, was encouraging. Most importantly, a number […]
Texas SBOE's CSCOPE Review Is Already Raising Red Flags
The anti-CSCOPE witch hunt marches onward, now with the “official/unofficial” help of the Texas State Board of Education. Unless responsible parties act soon, the state board’s “review” could turn into yet another embarrassing political circus for Texas. We just sent out the following press release. The president of the Texas Freedom Network warns that the […]
UT Science Profs to Legislators: Don't Mess with Science
Update: HB 285 has been pulled from today’s House Higher Education Committee hearing. We will let you know when it comes up for consideration again. ——————————————– Earlier: Texas scientists have gotten wind of Rep. Bill Zedler’s proposed legislation forcing the state’s colleges and universities to validate and support “intelligent design.” And they’re not happy. We’ve […]
