Thanks Texas, you've given the country yet another gift!
First it was George W, now it's ignorance, partisanship to the point of stupidity, and a smashing down of the wall between church and state. The Founding Fathers would be so proud! I'm sure Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Hamilton and Jay are rejoicing at the Texas school boards coup de grâce to rational thinking, accurate reporting of historical facts, and non-partisan intervention into our childrens' education.
Oh, but wait, they're probably not allowed to be taught about in Texas schools now, so no one will know!
Dudes, I'm in Arizona, and I think you guys are whacked. Arizona babies, that's right, you're making us look enlightened! Thanks again, double bonus! Well, at least we don't have to worry about all those kids from Texas competing for jobs with the reality-based world. I mean, who will hire them, knowing how little they know. Sorry kids, but hey, Texas is a big state, maybe you can get a job helping George W clear brush?
OK, I know I'm being flippant and churlish about a serious issue, but I'm just pissed off, and I really feel for the majority of Texans who are good, intelligent people. Every Texan I've ever met is a fine American, but guys, come on, vote with your minds, not your hymn book.
Also, Gov. Perry, I know you come from a very political world which dictates and parses your every move, but please, reconsider your choices for next years school board. This is the future you're playing with. America's competitive ability to advance in the world, not just some left verses right political checkers match. Do the right thing, man! Have some stones to say no to the extremists in your party. Is this the party of Lincoln?
Board Democrats accused the Republicans of a “cut-and-paste” job on the standards that included a flurry of late amendments undoing much of the work of teachers and academics who were appointed to review teams to draft the curriculum requirements last year.
“Here we are trying to approve standards for our children that will be used for years and we are being asked to approve all these last-minute cut-and-paste proposals,” said Mary Helen Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi.“I don’t think any teacher would accept work like this,” she said. “They would have thrown this paper in the trash. We’ve done an injustice to the children of this state.”
Board member Mavis Knight, D-Dallas, called the proposal a “travesty.”“The board has made these standards political and had little academic discussion about what students need to learn,” she said. “I am ashamed of what we have done to the students and teachers of this state.”
Another statement from the extreme right wing-nuts on the board:
Board member Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, another social conservative, opened Friday’s board meeting with an invocation that referred to the U.S. and its history as a “Christian land governed by Christian principles.”“I believe no one can read the history of our country without realizing that the Good Book and the spirit of the Savior have from the beginning been our guiding geniuses,” she said.
Again, respect to whatever savior you may choose to believe in (I read the same books you do), but your personal religious views have no place in the design of educational curriculum. The Christian Taliban has struck again, it seems.
Finally, from Salon:
Educators have blasted the proposed curriculum for politicizing education. Teachers also have said the document is too long and will force students to memorize lists of names rather than thinking critically. (emphasis added)
I guess that's what they were shooting for, after all...
