Science (and education) in Texas gets a second chance!

[Ominous Gamer]

Texas has had, on their Texas Board of Education, this wack job conservative with the following highlights, for the past 11 years. His reign of stupidity is finally over.

The WTF part, 49.6% of the voters still thought this guy was qualified to be in some sort of position to be deciding educational policy

Spoiler:

• In 2008, he objected to including Chinese literature in English classes: "You really don't want Chinese books with a bunch of crazy Chinese words in them. Why should you take a child's time trying to learn a word that they'll never ever use again?" He conceded some terms, such as "chow mein," might be useful, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
• He said during a 2008 debate over science standards: "Is understanding of evolution 'vital' to the understanding of biology? No."
• Last year he instructed curriculum writers to "read the latest on [Joseph] McCarthy -- he was basically vindicated."
• He described his textbook evaluation process this way to the Washington Monthly: "The way I evaluate history textbooks is first I see how they cover Christianity and Israel. Then I see how they treat Ronald Reagan--he needs to get credit for saving the world from communism and for the good economy over the last twenty years because he lowered taxes."
• He explained in this clip why minority groups should be thankful to the majority for civil rights:
  
• Finally, McLeroy successfully offered an amendment to U.S. history standards to require students to be able to "describe the causes and key organizations and individuals of the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schafly, the Contract with America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority, and the National Rifle Association." There is no liberal counterpart clause in the current draft of the standards.

Congratulations to Thomas Ratliff for sending this bozo out the door.

[']['ear]

THANK GOD. Let the intent of the founders persist despite the efforts of zealots to distort it for their political gain.

A very relevant article


Also, on the establishment of national standards.

You know, I've thought for quite a while that if a group pushes hard enough on certain issues that aren't broadly supported, they can suffer a backlash. This may be the backlash to the Texas and Kansas boards of education pushing a Christian, revisionist agenda into textbooks.

From article:
"Alaska and Texas are the only states not participating in the standards-writing effort."

[ar81]

Chinese words in the english class?
I just wonder if kids will be able to order Chop Suey when they go to a restaurants...