A Texas Republican Party official says the party never meant to include an attack on teaching critical thinking skills in the platform it adopted this month. Talking Points Memo quotes state GOP Communications Director Chris Elam as claiming that plank got into the platform by mistake:
“[The chairman of the Education Subcommittee] indicated that it was an oversight of the committee, that the plank should not have included ‘critical thinking skills’ after ‘values clarification,’” Elam said. “And it was not the intent of the subcommittee to present a plank that would have indicated that the RPT [Republican Party of Texas] in any way opposed the development of critical thinking skills.”
Elam said the members of the subcommittee “regret” the oversight, but because the mistake was part of the platform approved by the convention, “it cannot be corrected until the next state convention in 2014.”
TPM asked Elam what the intent of subcommittee had been in including the “Knowledge-Based Education” plank.
“I think the intent is that the Republican Party is opposed to the values clarification method that serves the purpose of challenging students beliefs and undermine parental authority,” he said.
So if that plank has to stay in the platform for the next two years, does that make any Republican who engages in critical thinking a RINO?
So what you’re saying is…..when you’re not being hateful, you’re being stupid. I get it.
I guess all the homophobia in the Platform was an “oversight” too. Oh, who am I kidding!?!?!
Not after they got caught.
I thhink so.
The “error” was obviously due to poor critical thinking skills. I’m sure Elam’s parents believe that thinking is bad and he is just doing what he was told.
Right. Can’t change the plank because it’s carved in stone.
What a bunch of morons.
Only RINO if they’re from Texas.
Curious as to how this was able to get into the document in the first place. Obviously there are those that “think” this is reasonable policy.
“I think the intent is that the Republican Party is opposed to the values clarification method that serves the purpose of challenging students beliefs and undermine parental authority,” he said.
Interesting play on semantics to state the same thing.
I think what this means is that the GOP can introduce the Discovery Institute model legislation into the legislature this year
advocating “critical thinking” with regards to such “controversial” topics as “evolution, climate change and human cloning”.
In other words, the GOP is lining up to introduce creationism like Tennessee did earlier this year into the classroom, in an attempt to put creationism back into the curriculum. The problem of course is that its religion not science and it will dumb down Texas children.
The fact is, misinforming and miseducating children with regards to established scientific fields like evolution and climatic changes, is not a teachers right, contrary to the GOP platform.
Look for the Dishonesty Institute’s “critical thinking” bill in the Tx Senate and House this year. Write Joe Strauss and tell him he is being observed and that he better lobby to block it, table it, or sink it in committee.
Its fraudulent creationist ignorance and doesn’t belong in public schools. Its coming, get ready.
Will