Texas Board Of Education To Vote On Controversial Curriculum Changes

The Texas State Board of Education will decide on Friday whether to approve a host of controversial changes to the state's school curriculum. Board members spent the week considering such issues as whether or not to insert eugenics, downplay the muckrakers of the early 20th century and shift the social studies standards to partially reflect the Tea Party movement.

If the changes are approved, future textbook purchases for the state's 4.7 million public school students will have to meet the new standards by 2011.

When the Board last met in March a majority of its members, led by seven arch-conservatives, voted to whitewash portions of American history.

On the first day of hearings this week Wednesday, Rod Paige, the former U.S. Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush, ripped the new curriculum.

"We have allowed ideology to drive and define the standards of our curriculum in Texas," Paige told the board.

Last week, Texas Board of Education member and former chairman Don McLeroy, a Republican, took the unusual step of releasing his proposed amendments before the hearings, which were emailed to other board members and Texas Education Agency staff.

Check out some of the proposed amendments that have been considered this week:

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'Barack Hussein Obama'?

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Board member Lawrence Allen suggested that President Obama be added because he was the first African American to be elected president. Conservative board members countered by listing the name as Barack Hussein Obama. The measure was amended to "Barack H. Obama," his listing on the White House website, and passed.

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Board member Lawrence Allen suggested that President Obama be added because he was the first African American to be elected president. Conservative board members countered by listing the name as Barack Hussein Obama.

The measure was amended to "Barack H. Obama," his listing on the White House website, and passed.

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WATCH highlights from the this week's hearings from the Texas Freedom Network:

Comments

[Neutralino]

12:33 PM on 05/24/2010

Personally, I wish textbooks devoted more attention to the shameful actions of the cabal of thieving schemers who led the effort to steal Texas from Mexico, then petitioned the US for statehood because they needed help from the US Army after getting whipped so bad at battles like The Alamo. It took 11 years for Texans to overcome the opposition of congressmen who didn't want to have any part of that rip-off.

A few years later, Texas repaid the US by joining the Confederacy. Since then, Texas has contributed more than its share of racism, superstition and shady characters to the American story.

Not so with taxes. Every single year since it joined the union, Texas has always paid less than its share of taxes while accepting more than its share in federal aid.

The political bias that downplays these facts prevents students from learning that this state has always been more trouble than it was worth, and that the union would be stronger today if it had never allowed the Revolutionary Republic of Texas to join.

[Omnix]

01:55 PM on 06/11/2010

Oh man, ouch!!! If you didn't have Texas, then who would you hate? Louisiana, Oklahoma, California. In short, your argument is fallacious, because it is a hasty generalization. There are plenty of good things that have come from Texas. We have contributed great advances in technology and to the economy overall. Also, please remember not everyone here agrees with our leaders any more than you do with the leaders in your state. I'd be willing to bet that there are a lot of good and bad things that came from your home state as well.

Lets not forget that none of this would be a problem if Europeans hadn't come over and taken this land from the native Americans. All of the problems that have occurred since then have been because of the Europeans.

-------------- relevant humor--------------------

Two reporters were sent to interview a 90 year old Indian chief.

The reporters asked, "Considering everything that you have witnessed in your life, what have you learned?"

The chief stared at the officials for over a minute and then calmly replied, "White man stupid."

Looking at the puzzled reporters, the chief explained. "When the white man came to this land, Indians were running it. No taxes! No debt! Plenty Buffalo. Plenty Beaver. Women did all the work. Medicine Man free. Native men spent all day hunting and fishing."

Then the chief leaned back and smiled... "Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that."

[gsmith3286]

01:10 PM on 05/22/2010

What about a e-book and mass customization solution??? What a way for Amazon's Kindle or Apples I pad to enter and solve an old textbook distribution process while putting it's product in the hands of millions of students.

[quietdynamics]

12:19 AM on 06/23/2010

YES...then all students would have books.

[Elizabeth75]

01:15 AM on 05/22/2010

The saddest thing about this is the children who will be so unprepared for the real world. What will happen when they run into the kids who are properly educated. How about competing in the job market, especially as our economy becomes more and more global. No one can stop that from happening. It won't change and its not stopping.

So this is really like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Only its your children you are harming.
If you had a choice to teach your child Spanish at this point would you oppose it because English is supposed to be the official language of the U.S.? In 10 years when they apply for a job and there is a bilingual candidate vs your child who will be hired?
I can only pray that somehow the truth will prevail but it will be hard to learn the tough facts about our history later in life after you grew up in a bubble.

[quietdynamics]

12:22 AM on 06/23/2010

In 10 years it would be more of an asset to know some Chinese....seriously.

[quietdynamics]

01:06 AM on 06/23/2010

High school students are already unprepared; thus, remedial classes in college.

A survey of Fortune 500 companies listed the inability of writing skills in new hires. Some companies have therefore, instituted communications training; i.e. how to write a memo.

In a country of innovative technology, where we donate laptops to 3rd world countries, you can go into a classroom and find these invaluable tools collecting dust.

We need to study academics in China and India, take what works and utilized, the proven successes, rather than speculate unproven new programs.

[redwhiteandblue22]

09:36 PM on 05/21/2010

Don't like these curriculum changes? Help oust Texas Republican governor Rick Perry by donating to Bill White's campaign: http://www.billwhitefortexas.com/

Bill White is challenging Rick Perry for governor in November 2010 and has been gaining on him in the polls. It's roughly 50/50 now. Bill White things the revised curriculum is shameful. Come help support him!

[Toddler]

08:17 PM on 05/21/2010

New curriculum actively being taught:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49048410@N04/

[berrycooda]

07:59 PM on 05/21/2010

Are we a nation of idiots or what....

Leave the History text books alone.
Make a second copy for a second series of history from the previous one to date.

Quit the nitpicking. Sounds like too many people have positions that are not needed and they are trying to justify that fact by acting like they are doing something relevant.

No wonder schools have so many problems....the school boards and those in authority seem to have taken leave of]
good sense. How did they learn....they used the same history books they are trying to change...what is that about...

Should be a law against rewriting history...
How can you change it from what it was to what they happen to want it to be.
If they want to add the current President's name, put it the way other presidents have been listed....if it has a middle initial, so be it....but if it was the complete name in full, then that should be used...
If the argument is about using Hussein for the Pres. middle name instead of the initial....what is the problem...
Are those writing the NEW AND REVISED edition of history
ashamed or embarrassed to put the name Hussein in the book...Get the facts right from the end of the previous history book if it is going to be changed.

Too many eccentric people with positions of power have no business being there.....too biased, or is that
too ignorant of true facts.

[ImpeachBushCheney]

06:32 PM on 05/21/2010

Did the Texas State Board of Education insist on a chapter featuring themselves as the heroes of modern Texas education?

If they are rewriting history to feature our first Alzheimer's president, why not make themselves historical figures?

[Anelisa]

05:57 PM on 05/21/2010

What happens in a few years when these kids are trying to get into good colleges with their incomplete or skewed educations in History, Evolution and Science? Let the lawsuits begin?? Or is Texas setting the stage for its own closed communist state with limited (or state-written) knowledge of the world and history -- kind of like China, the old Soviet Union, Iran?
It always amazes me, the hypocrisy of those who deride Theocracies and over-reaching Governement only to pull something like this themselves...!

[BlueDog1]

05:29 PM on 05/21/2010

Like I said this morning once they seceded from the union and have created the new state of Arixas they will be happy and we will be happy.

[Ladyliberal]

04:57 PM on 05/21/2010

Time for Texas to become part of Mexico. This is Gods certain plan for Texas.

[jjtx]

05:05 PM on 05/21/2010

will you get me out of here first, please!

[rushfan53]

05:18 PM on 05/21/2010

I bet that's what you libs would want to see happen. Heck, it is happening now with all these illegal Mexicans crosing the border at will and you libs and your liberal regime in DC sitting back and not only doing nothing but hosting the so-called "president" of that backwater country south of our border and letting him attack our own nation from the pulpit of Congress where you libs and your elected representatives stood up and gave him a standing ovation for bashing our nation. Sickening.

[SkelDaddy]

05:22 PM on 05/21/2010

Have you any unspent fury remaining?

[dragonlady620]

05:47 PM on 05/21/2010

Does your handle refer to Rush Limbaugh? Do you think Rush is a bastion of truth? Or do you recognize a kindred spirit in that he a shockjock whose qualifications to do anything but spew hate drivel are ZERO?

[Schmaltzy the Golem]

04:52 PM on 05/21/2010

This is Jaw dropping. The entire Country needs to see these Regressives in Texas in action. What next? Cotton Mather as the Father of our country?

[rushfan53]

05:20 PM on 05/21/2010

I hate to fall into a lib trap, but I have to expose your ignorance. Cotton Mather and those Puritans you love to demean and hate provide a bedrock foundation that served our nation for centuries until it was worn down by so-called "liberal Christians" and catholics and progressives.. If we could only return to the principles the Puritans gave us we'd be a lot better shape.

[SkelDaddy]

05:24 PM on 05/21/2010

If we still followed their ways, you would be wearing a big brown "A" on your clothing.

[dragonlady620]

05:51 PM on 05/21/2010

Cotton Mather also used phoney evidence to get convictions in witchcraft trials (not unlike Bush/Cheney/Rove when they lied us into war).
It is you who are displaying your ignorance.

[MidRoaderTurnedLeft]

04:40 PM on 05/21/2010

It's surprising they didn't try including creationism again, this time by slipping the Book of Genesis into the history requirements. They probably assume everyone in Texas already has a Bible, so they'd probably say they're saving printing costs.

[Javan Hamilton]

04:27 PM on 05/21/2010

They want to talk about the RECENT Conservative resurgence of the mid-90s, but they won't talk about the RECENT Progressive resurgence (or simple increase, at least) of the mid-00s. Hmmm...

[trinity]

04:26 PM on 05/21/2010

I am curious the new state standards for Geometry...will they be getting help from a certain Geometry teacher in Alabama?

[SkelDaddy]

05:44 PM on 05/21/2010

I am also interested in what they will teach about geography (flat earth) and astronomy (geocentrism).

[jjtx]

04:21 PM on 05/21/2010

I was born in Texas and lived here all my life - not by my own doing but oh well

This makes me very ashamed. But, even more, it makes me sick at my stomach.

Re: slide 9
Majorities gave minorities rights - I though that was the Constitution.

Men gave women the right to vote -- really, who gave men life, period. Maybe, women should advocate aborting male fetuses. Gave me the right to vote like they let me vote; well, maybe I'll let you live.

I want to puke.

These people are crazy.

[Ladyliberal]

04:59 PM on 05/21/2010

Wow, you are correct.

[SkelDaddy]

05:26 PM on 05/21/2010

I recommend Zofran ODT.

[jjtx]

05:33 PM on 05/21/2010

too bad I can't - I'm on Amiodarone