The state of Texas education - From bad to badder?

July 16, 11:11 AMScience ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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Yes, of course, the headline contains bad grammar, but it is indicative of the state of education in Texas. It has been bad for quite some time now and it seems that it is not likely to get any better any time soon.
 
Some suppose that it will only get worse as the board, fresh from its whirlwind destruction on the science standards (again), sets its sights on the social studies curriculum.

But first things first.

Recently,  Don McLeroy failed to get enough votes to remain in his position as the chair of the Texas State Board of Education, though, unfortunately in the minds of some, he will remain on the board. This denial left it to Texas Governor, Rick Perry to appoint a replacement for McLeroy.

At the time, people speculated that Perry would appoint Cynthia Dunbar as the new chair. Of course, this consideration did not go without scrutiny. There was concern that with Dunbar, Texas schoolchildren would continue to suffer as they have for years at the hands of policy makers who insist on using their political positions to push their religious agendas.

Dunbar, who incidentally home schools her own children, has been criticized for a number of things, including her claim "on the Christian Worldview Network Web site... that a terrorist attack on America during the first six months of an Obama administration 'will be a planned effort by those with whom Obama truly sympathizes to take down the America that is threat to tyranny.'"

Reportedly, in Dunbar's book that was published last year, "Dunbar argued the country’s founding fathers created 'an emphatically Christian government' and that government should be guided by a 'biblical litmus test.' She endorses a belief system that requires 'any person desiring to govern have a sincere knowledge and appreciation for the Word of God in order to rightly govern.'”

Also, "she calls public education a 'subtly deceptive tool of perversion.' The establishment of public schools is unconstitutional and even 'tyrannical,' she wrote, because it threatens the authority of families, granted by God through Scripture, to direct the instruction of their children."

The consideration of Dunbar by Perry prompted Kathy Miller, President of Texas Freedom Network (TFN), to say that this would be a mistake on Perry's part because it would send the message that he "'shares her shocking hostility toward public education.'" "'Just as bad,'" she said, "'he would be siding with a faction of self-righteous politicians on the board who have made it crystal clear that they believe the only real Christians are the ones who agree with them. If the governor really decides that selling out our kids like this is a good re-election strategy, then this state has an even bigger problem than we thought.'”

The thought of Dunbar becoming the chair led Keith Olbermann to sound off about it (wait for number 1). (Article continues after video.)

As it turned out, Perry did not go with Dunbar. Rather, he went with Gail Lowe. Better? Not really.

Lowe, it seems, is no better than McLeroy and Dunbar when it comes to  allowing her religious convictions to dictate her political life. One article said of her, "Lowe’s penchant for mixing education and political agenda — especially her efforts to cast doubts about evolution and global-warming theories — troubles us as inappropriate."

Kathy Miller has also sounded off about Lowe. She reportedly said, "'It’s disappointing that instead of choosing a mainstream conservative who could heal the divisions on the board, the governor once again appointed someone who repeatedly has put political agendas ahead of the education of Texas schoolchildren. Ms. Lowe has marched in lockstep with a faction of board members who believe that their personal beliefs are more important than the experience and expertise of teachers and academics who have dedicated their careers to educating our children and helping them succeed. We can only hope that she will rise above her history on the board and as chair keep fellow members from continuing to hold the education of our children hostage to divisive "culture war" battles.'”

According to TFN, "In 2003 and 2009 Ms. Lowe supported dumbing down the state’s public school science curriculum by voting to include unscientific, creationist criticisms of evolution in science textbooks and curriculum standards." She also, reportedly, went on record as saying "she guarantees she will turn down any book encouraging population removal or blaming global warming on the normal activities of everyday people."

Now, we come back to social studies. The Texas State Board of Education will be reviewing social studies standards and they will adopt new standards in March of 2011. Already they have created a panel of "experts" to review the curricuum. Lowe is under fire for her appointment of David Barton to the panel. TFN referred to him as an "absurdly unqualified political activist."

So, what is it about Barton that makes him so unpopular in certain circles? Already, he, along with fellow panelist Peter Marshall (an evangelical minister), have gone so far as to contend "that the Founders intended to create a distinctly Christian American nation based on biblical principles. That contention conflicts with multiple rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court and sharply differs with the research of most scholars. In fact, mainstream scholars point out that the Founders sought to protect the religious freedom of citizens by keeping the affairs of government and religious institutions separate."

They use this as their basis for justification for exclusion of certain historical figures from their text books as well as for some inclusion they would like to see. They are trying to remove César Chavez, Anne Hutchinson, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. They would like Sam Houston to replace Thurgood Marshall. They want Billy Graham included.

Barton in particular is being highly criticized for his fudging of the facts and for using a debunked e-mail to include "facts" in his reviews. It seems he would completely rewrite history if he could. It has been pointed out that Barton is not an expert on social studies by any stretch of the imagination. He reportedly holds a bachelor's degree in religious studies.

Keith Olbermann had a little something to say about Barton and his cohorts. (Wait for number 1.) (Article continues after video.)

It seems there is no end in sight to the destruction of sound education in the state of Texas. As long as Perry is in office, it is likely this nonsense will continue. At what point will Texas politicians understand that every day that they allow their religious agendas to infiltrate their politics they cause further harm to the children who depend on them to see to it that they are equally ready to compete academically as children from other states in this nation? When will they care enough about the futures of their children to promote truth in education rather than dogma?