Texas Exceptionalism (Texas opts out of common education standards)

Governor Rick Perry announced today that Texas will not submit an application for education funding in the federal government’s “Race to the top” competition. His office issued a press release under the title:  Gov. Perry: Texas Knows Best How to Educate Our Students. Here’s a video clip from his announcement: more about “Office of the […]

Update: appeal v. U Cal win on admissions policy

The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) has posted an update on developments in the case of Association of Christian Schools International [ACSI] et al. v. Roman Stearns et al. [The University of California]. The suit was brought against U.Cal. by Christian schools complaining that UC’s refusal to count certain courses in their schools for […]

new Texas ELAR standards available

The hotly contested new Texas standards for English Language Arts & Reading are now available from the Texas Education Agency.

Momentous TX education hearing

A truly momentous and impressive public hearing by the Texas House Public Education Committee has just wrapped up in Austin (July 16, 2008). I did not hear all of it. I heard State Board chairman McLeroy’s presentation and some of the questioning. Hours later I heard the witness before Steven Schafersman (Texas Citizens for Science) […]

TX House Committe testimony by Texas Citizens for Science

Testimony by Steven D. Schafersman, president of Texas Citizens for Science, is now posted at the TCS website. Here’s an overview of their recoomendations: I urge you to take even more powers away from the SBOE. Specifically, I urge you to revise the law so that textbooks in Texas are adopted by each individual school […]

Bradley: Teachers “got spanked” by Texas Bd. of Ed.

Added June 6, 2008: NY Times: Opponents of Evolution Adopting a New Strategy Steven Schafersman, President, Texas Citizens for Science: Critical Review that covers developments reported in the NY Times article and the article (linked below) by Gary Scharer, as well as reaction by Intelligent Design proponents. ============= A story by Gary Scharrer for the […]

TX School Bd member seeks replacement of Bd chair

The previous post on the “Texas English / Language Arts standards debacle” has raised questions about intentionality — whether this just shows incompetence, or whether the right-wing board leadership and majority are acting with nefarious intent. A May 21 article by Gary Scharrer for the Houston Chronicle is suggestive, I think. It reports that in […]

Texas ELAR standards debacle (evolution next?)

The Texas State Board of Education’s shocking action Friday (May 23, 2008) in adopting new standards for K-12 English/Language Arts is being viewed by some as a harbinger of things to come for the new science standards, which are the next to be revised.

“Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature”

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande is one of two books reviewed for the Austin American-Statesman, as “Good YA novels with silly titles.” From the review: When Ms. Shepherd begins teaching evolution, the self-styled “Holy Warriors” at Mena’s church call for her dismissal and demand the teaching of intelligent design. Mena […]

compromise on Texas English/reading curriculum

Update Sept. 1, 2008. Since people are still finding their way to this post, I need to add that the compromise noted here has been swept away by subsequent developments. In chronological order, see Texas ELAR standards debacle (evolution next?) TX School Bd member seeks replacement of Bd chair Bradley: Teachers “got spanked” by Texas […]