Although I have been pretty thorough getting the audio files posted on the Science TEKS proceedings, and then the September [oops -- I guess I haven't posted these yet -- and I don't have time now. I do have them saved, and I'll get to posting them when I can] and November sessions on the [...]
Category Archives: Politics of Education
Voting on the 1964 Civil Rights Act, by Party
November 26, 2009 – 9:32 pm
An earlier post here begins:
In her testimony Wednesday night, November 18, before the Texas State Board of education, Carole Haynes (phonetic) helpfully informed the Board members that
There has been so much controversy over the Civil Rights [legislation], … and the truth was, Republicans voted for it and the Democrats voted against it. … We need [...]
Experts, standards, textbooks
November 25, 2009 – 10:00 pm
An earlier post here on Curricublog reported (with audio, & link to a video feed) on the Texas SBOE’s decision not to invite further input from their “experts” or the writing teams of social studies specialists in their revision of social studies standards for the state of Texas.
If that makes you think the SBOE does [...]
Mass., Va., etc. “students’ religious freedom” bills
October 10, 2009 – 10:23 am
There’s “An Act Relative to Protecting the Religious Freedom of Students” pending in the Massachusetts legislature which, according to Antoinette Pizzi reporting in the Cape Cod Times, “has bipartisan support and is expected to pass favorably through the Joint Committee on Education.”
Folks at the National Center for Science Education have taken particular notice of this [...]
US Educ Sec Arne Duncan on Colbert (Oct 5, 2009)
October 5, 2009 – 5:59 pm
This weekend I saw Chris Hedges on BookTV’s “AfterWords,” and I thought “this is somebody that I need to see on the Colbert Report.” I decided to do some posting to encourage that encounter (that will be my next post after this one — see the post above this one, or the link with arrow, [...]
Louisiana procedures for disputes over anti-science materials in biology classes
September 25, 2009 – 10:44 am
WILL SENTELL of the [Baton Rouge] Advocate Capitol News Bureau reports that “Procedure [have now been] crafted for handling evolution-materials complaints“:
TCS report on new Texas science standards
August 26, 2009 – 9:55 am
A report by Texas Citizens for Science on the Science Standards adopted by TSBOE in March is now posted on the TCS website. Dr. Steven Schafersman, President of TCS, tweets:
New TCS report on Texas science standards just posted on the website. The new standards can be used to improve evolution education if the science textbook [...]
ICR tries again in suit over grad “science ed” degree in Texas
August 21, 2009 – 2:23 pm
Unwilling to deal with the hilariously hideous complaint that was filed initially by the Institute for Creation Research in their attempt to get accreditation for their graduate degree program in “science education,” the judge ordered ICR to file an amended complaint, and then a second amended complaint, with a maximum page limit of 20 pages.
The [...]
new Lowe standards for Texas Social Studies
August 18, 2009 – 1:21 pm
An AP article on Gail Lowe, successor to Donald McLeroy as chair of the Texas SBOE, can be found now on the websites of the Houston Chronicle and the Lufkin Daily News.
The story quotes Chairman Lowe expressing her agreement with the preachers who have been appointed by the Board as “Experts” to advise them in [...]
Mooney & the “new atheists”: another round
August 13, 2009 – 7:26 pm
Another round in the ongoing Neuatheismusstreit was touched off by an opinion piece in the L.A. Times by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum, authors of the new book Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future. They write:
It often appears as though Dawkins and his followers–often dubbed the New Atheists, though some object to the [...]
NCSE: Science coverage better, but creationism creeping in
August 13, 2009 – 1:41 pm
A new study by NCSE staff (available in html and pdf) finds improvement in state science standards, marred by the creeping influence of creationist language. Here is the abstract:
In 2000, Lawrence Lerner and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation reviewed state science standards in 49 states and the District of Columbia, specifically with respect to the [...]
NY Times: “Flexbooks” displacing textbooks
August 9, 2009 – 11:07 am
Lewin reports that “Textbooks have not gone the way of the scroll yet, but many educators say that it will not be long before they are replaced by digital versions — or supplanted altogether by lessons assembled from the wealth of free courseware, educational games, videos and projects on the Web.”
This is interesting in many ways. For one thing, it underscores the necessity of having teachers who understand their subjects well. “Flexbooks” could greatly increase the importance of the teachers relative to state boards and legislatures.
Kevin Welner “Obama’s Dalliance with Truthiness” (limited time public access)
August 4, 2009 – 10:24 am
“During his campaign, Barack Obama was adept at identifying the Bush administration’s failures to use research responsibly. He assured us that he would not misspend taxpayer dollars on projects that were ideologically appealing but unsupported by facts. No more would policy be based on imaginary or invented evidence at odds with the best knowledge available.
“But those who believed in this promise are now confronted with policy edicts from the Department of Education that are as ill-grounded, dogmatic, and heavy-handed as any that emerged from the prior administration. These edicts are tied to the Department’s “Race to the Top,” a $4.35 billion program that is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus spending.”
Jonathan Kozol, 3-hr live call-in Sept 6 on BookTV
July 27, 2009 – 12:59 pm
Jonathan Kozol will be featured on the three-hour In Depth program Sunday, September 6 on BookTV (CSpan2). The program airs noon-3pm US Eastern Time, and is then re-aired the same weekend and often later weekends. It is also available for online viewing shortly after the live event.
September–Jonathan Kozol
Author and education activist Jonathan Kozol will be [...]
TX Gov Perry names Gail Lowe to chair State Board of Education
July 10, 2009 – 12:30 pm
The Associated Press reports that Texas Governor Rick Perry has appointed Gail Lowe, one of the right-wing ideologues on SBOE, to serve as the Board’s chair, now that his first appointment of Don McLeroy failed confirmation in the state senate. … it strikes me that Lowe’s consistently petty partisanship makes McLeroy look like a diplomat and statesman by comparison.
