Here are some of the week’s most notable quotes culled from news reports from across Texas, and beyond.
Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller, on a new state law that could strip the SBOE of some of its power to inject personal views and political agendas into textbooks.
The State Board of Education will still adopt curriculum standards and exert influence over what textbooks students use. But the board’s monopoly power over what instructional materials our local schools buy is ending. That is a bad thing for politicians on the state board, but it’s good for Texas kids and the quality of their education in our local schools.
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Former senator and 2012 Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum, criticizing Gov. Rick Perry’s speech in front of Jewish leaders in New York on Tuesday.
I’ve forgotten more about Israel than Rick Perry knows about Israel.
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Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller, on a lawsuit filed by David Barton against two former Texas State Board of Education candidates and an Internet writer.
It’s puzzling that Mr. Barton has chosen now to sue two former candidates for simply discussing something that has been in the public record for nearly two decades — his past associations with groups reportedly tied to white supremacist and anti-Semitic movements. Instead of suing people for essentially repeating what has already been reported, perhaps he should acknowledge his poor judgment in associating with fringe groups.
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Former President Bill Clinton, on politicians who deny the science behind climate change.
If you’re an American, the best thing you can do is to make it politically unacceptable for people to engage in denial.
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The Houston Chronicle, in an editorial that calls on policymakers to end the state’s failed abstinence-only sex education policy.
Now, more and more parents and school districts are starting to address this (teen pregnancy) crisis, and are arriving at the same conclusion: The abstinence-only policies taught in the vast majority of Texas sex education classes are proving ineffective, and curriculum changes must be made … We agree. A number of our state lawmakers have tried to pass bills requiring medically accurate sex education in school programs. It’s past time for their colleagues, who have lavishly funded abstinence-only programs, to support the majority of their taxpayers who favor more effective programs in our schools.
