Friday, May 22, 2009
Republicans Block Appointment Of Judicial Nominee Due To Ruling Upholding Separation Of Church And State
Bloomberg reports today that Republicans are blocking U.S. Senate committee action on President Barack Obama’s first judicial appointment, attacking the nominee for rulings supporting separation of church and state.
Parents Battle Over Bibles "Offered" To Students In Frisco Public Schools
Updated Friday May 22, 2009 at 9:34AM - From the Dallas Morning News:
According to a report (PDF Full/Summary) released in February by the Texas Freedom Network (TFN) some Texas schools mix religious instruction and Bible study in their sex education programs. From the TFN Report Summary:
Originally posted Saturday May 16, 2009 - Gideon volunteers have visited Frisco school campuses to "offer" Bibles to students as part Frisco ISD's policy that permits the religious group in Frisco schools. Frisco ISD policy says non-school literature is allowed as long as it doesn't "attack ethnic, religious or racial groups, interfere with school activities or the rights of others." Read the full story at the Dallas Morning News.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has launched an investigation into the distribution of religious materials in the Frisco ISD as well as the Marshall, Plano, Westwood (Palestine), Wichita Falls and Wylie (Abilene) districts. This follows the Bible hand-out by Gideons International at Frisco secondary schools last week.Is the ACLU of Texas' going far enough in its investigation? Religious instruction in Texas public schools is not limited to school districts allowing organizations to "offer" Bibles to student in the schools.
Lisa Graybill, the ACLU of Texas' legal director said, "What we are looking at is excessive entanglement and coercion. . . When a school invites them into the classroom and allows them to walk down the aisles, they are endorsing rather than just making the material available."
According to a report (PDF Full/Summary) released in February by the Texas Freedom Network (TFN) some Texas schools mix religious instruction and Bible study in their sex education programs. From the TFN Report Summary:
"Far too often in Texas, public schools betray the trust of families by forcing religious instruction with which they may not agree on students in their sexuality education. According to materials returned for this report, 9.5 percent of Texas secondary school districts include inappropriate religious content in their sexuality education instruction.See previous posting: Obama's 2010 Budget Eliminates Federal Funding For Abstinence-Only Sex Ed
Consider a handout used by one district entitled: “Things to look for in a mate.”How they relate to God (page 44 of the full report)Another district turned over a series of what appear to be student handouts that lay out a scriptural case for abstinence from sexual activity. (page 41-42 of the full report)
- Is Jesus their first love?
- Trying to impress people or serve God?
Question: “What does the Bible say about sex before marriage / premarital sex?”
Answer: Along with all other kinds of sexual immorality, sex before marriage / premarital sex is repeatedly condemned in Scripture (Acts 15:20; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13,18; 7:2; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7).
Originally posted Saturday May 16, 2009 - Gideon volunteers have visited Frisco school campuses to "offer" Bibles to students as part Frisco ISD's policy that permits the religious group in Frisco schools. Frisco ISD policy says non-school literature is allowed as long as it doesn't "attack ethnic, religious or racial groups, interfere with school activities or the rights of others." Read the full story at the Dallas Morning News.
Voter Photo ID Bill Up For House Vote, Maybe!
Update Friday May 22, 2009 7:30AM: SB 362, the Voter ID bill, has been scheduled on the House Daily Calendar for floor debate on Saturday - that's tomorrow. The decision by the Republican controlled Calendars Committee last night to schedule the Voter ID bill for floor debate ahead of debating the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Sunset bill, clean air bill and transporting guns to work bill dares Democrats to run out the clock on those important bills by running out the session clock to stop the Voter ID bill.
The Senate's bill allows voters to present either a government photo ID, such as a driver’s license, or two non-photo documents, such as a voter registration card and a water bill, at the polls.
Nearly 60 House Democrats held their own press conference in advance of Rep. Brown's press conference and suggested a donnybrook may ensue on the House floor if Republican House leaders (i.e. House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio) allow SB 362 to advance to the House floor.
Bear in mind, while Republicans officially control the House, 76 Republicans to 74 Democrats, that as long as House Speaker Straus continues the tradition of not voting on legislation, any straight partisan vote will be a 74-74 tie, on which legislation fails to pass, while Rep. Ed Kuempel (R) remains sidelined in the Hospital. Speaker Straus has already said he has no plans of voting on the Voter ID bill, plus, two House Republicans, Reps. Tommy Merritt of Longview and Delwin Jones of Lubbock, sided with Democrats against a similar bill in the 2007 legislative session. Neither Republican has announced a change in position this year.
It is notable that only 71 of the 76 House Republicans recently signed a "statement of principles" letter calling for the restrictive photo ID measure.
The deadline for Senate-originating bills to be taken up on the House floor is midnight next Tuesday May 26th. It will very likely be scheduled for the House floor, but it depends on the House Calendars Committee. The Calendars Committee is made up of 8 Republicans and 5 Democrats with Republican Brian McCall in the chairman's seat and Democratic Eddie Luio III in the Vice-Chair seat. No doubt this Republican heavy committee will vote the voter ID bill to the House floor by May 26, unless, that is, Speaker Straus has a quiet word with committee chairman McCall. (Track SB362 progress in the legislature -- Check the House Calendar)
House Democrats maintain that:
There's another wild card - the possibility that Gov. Perry will call a special session of the legislature, after the regular session adjourns, should the legislature not pass the most important issue facing Texans.
The advantage for Perry in calling a special session is that it gives him another 30 days to pander to his base, as well as the chance to pick up Democrat bashing talking points, like voter ID, that fall victim to the calendar.
Take Action: Ask your state Representative in the House to vote NO on SB 283. Click Here to find your State Representative's contact information.Original Posting Wednesday May 20, 2009: State Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell, who remarked, "Asians should change their names to make them ‘easier for American [election workers] to deal with," as the House Election Committee heard public comment on the bill earlier this session, had planned to hold a midday press conference Wednesday. Brown plans to try to amend SB 362, as soon as it is called to the House floor, to make photo identification at the polls an absolute requirement.
The Senate's bill allows voters to present either a government photo ID, such as a driver’s license, or two non-photo documents, such as a voter registration card and a water bill, at the polls.
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Bear in mind, while Republicans officially control the House, 76 Republicans to 74 Democrats, that as long as House Speaker Straus continues the tradition of not voting on legislation, any straight partisan vote will be a 74-74 tie, on which legislation fails to pass, while Rep. Ed Kuempel (R) remains sidelined in the Hospital. Speaker Straus has already said he has no plans of voting on the Voter ID bill, plus, two House Republicans, Reps. Tommy Merritt of Longview and Delwin Jones of Lubbock, sided with Democrats against a similar bill in the 2007 legislative session. Neither Republican has announced a change in position this year.
It is notable that only 71 of the 76 House Republicans recently signed a "statement of principles" letter calling for the restrictive photo ID measure.
The deadline for Senate-originating bills to be taken up on the House floor is midnight next Tuesday May 26th. It will very likely be scheduled for the House floor, but it depends on the House Calendars Committee. The Calendars Committee is made up of 8 Republicans and 5 Democrats with Republican Brian McCall in the chairman's seat and Democratic Eddie Luio III in the Vice-Chair seat. No doubt this Republican heavy committee will vote the voter ID bill to the House floor by May 26, unless, that is, Speaker Straus has a quiet word with committee chairman McCall. (Track SB362 progress in the legislature -- Check the House Calendar)
House Democrats maintain that:
Requiring voters to present a government-issued photo ID to vote is a flawed solution to a made-up problem. Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott spent $1.4 million in a two year investigation attempting to locate voter ID fraud and failed to identify anything more than 26 cases where people forgot to sign and address the absentee ballot envelope.It is notable that only 71 of the 76 House Republicans recently signed a "statement of principles" letter calling for the restrictive photo ID measure. To date, most of the 74 House Democrats oppose a restrictive voter photo ID requirement, but Rep. Joe Heflin, a Democrat on the House elections committee who voted for the voter Id bill in committee, has reportedly said he is leaning toward supporting a photo ID law. Rep. David Farabee's (D-Wichita Falls) has also comment that he could support a voter ID bill that had a phase-in period.
Republican maneuvering has every appearance of a disparate scheme devised to stack the deck in favor of Republicans in the 2010 legislative elections. Republicans are anxious to maintain control of the Texas House and Senate to give them the upper hand in the federal and state redistricting decisions that the Legislature is scheduled to make in 2011 following the 2010 U.S. census.The Texas photo Voter ID bill is part of the Republican agenda to keep Republicans in office by suppressing the vote of groups that tend to vote Democratic. In the 10 states that have already passed voter picture ID laws, voter participation is down about 3 percent. However, black and Hispanic voter participation is down more than 10 percent in those states. The success of Democratic voter registration drives among these Texas groups in 2008 threatens to tip the balance of power away from Republican candidates in future elections. As the tide of Democratic voters continues to grow across Texas, voter ID legislation would be an effective way for Republicans to hold back the tide.
There's another wild card - the possibility that Gov. Perry will call a special session of the legislature, after the regular session adjourns, should the legislature not pass the most important issue facing Texans.
The advantage for Perry in calling a special session is that it gives him another 30 days to pander to his base, as well as the chance to pick up Democrat bashing talking points, like voter ID, that fall victim to the calendar.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Speaking of Creationist Don McLeroy's Possible Sentate Confirmation As Chairman Of The State Board of Education
Related to previous posting "TX Senate Not To Confirm Creationist Don McLeroy As Chairman Of The State Board of Education, Or Maybe They Will"
KERA: Texas Schools Lag Behind in Bioscience Education (May 19, 2009)
Bioscience is big business in Texas. And it's growing at a rapid clip. A study last week said the life sciences industry injected 75-billion dollars into the state's economy last year and supported well over 200 thousand jobs. But a new national report comparing science education in public schools across the country puts Texas near the bottom of the pack. The state-by-state study of bio-science education in America, referencing data from the U.S. Department of Education, shows Texas ranked 41st on science and biology scores.Texas Freedom Network:
Breaking: McLeroy Nomination Moves!
In a surprise meeting on the Senate floor, the Senate Nominations Committee in Austin has just approved the appointment of Don McLeroy as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education. It appears that McLeroy’s supporters plan to bring his confirmation to the full Senate early next week. Confirmation will require a two-thirds vote.
Committee Chairman Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, had said he would not bring up McLeroy’s confirmation for a vote in committee unless he thought there were enough votes to get it in the full Senate. We don’t know at this point whether opposition from nearly all Democrats and some Republicans has softened, but the signs are alarming.
If you haven’t done so already, it’s critical that you contact your senator and tell him or her that you oppose McLeroy’s confirmation. You can find the name and contact information for your senator here.
Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller has released the following statement:“If the Texas Senate genuinely cares about quality public education, they will reject as state board chairman a man who apparently agrees that parents who want to teach their kids about evolution are monsters. And we’ll see whether senators really want a chairman who presides over a board that is so focused on ‘culture war’ battles that it has made Texas look like an educational backwater to the rest of the country.”Gov. Perry appointed McLeroy board chairman in July 2007. Since then, the board has turned debates over language arts and science curriculum standards in “culture war” battlegrounds. Chairman McLeroy has also endorsed a book that says parents who want to teach children about evolution are “monsters” and calls clergy who see no conflict between faith and science “morons.” This spring McLeroy led other creationists on the state board in adopting new science curriculum standards that call the scientific consensus on evolution into question and no longer include references to scientific estimates of the age of the universe.
Sen. Cornyn: GOP Keeping Hutchison's Senate Seat Republican Is "No Slam Dunk"
Dallas Morning News:
There are now six people gearing up for a run to fill Kay Bailey Hutchison's U.S. Senate seat. Plus, there are at least five or six more that have been rumored to be considering throwing their hat in the ring for that race too.
A special election would likely be held in November 2009 if Hutchison resigns her U.S. Senate seat before September 28, 2009. If she resigns late in 2009, the special election to fill her senate seat would instead be scheduled for May 2010. Hutchison's resignation timing has a huge impact on when and how the six people gearing up to run for Hutchison's can themselves actually stand for election - but that's a story for another day.
Tx Sen. John Cornyn, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has speculated in the last week that Senate colleague Kay Bailey Hutchison would quit the Senate in the fall to focus on a run for governor. Cornyn said this morning that replacing her with a Republican will require "a real race" and "certainly not a walk."The problem is nobody, with the possible exception of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, knows for sure when or if she will vacate her Senate seat to run against incumbent Gov. Rick Perry for the Governor's Mansion."Texas is marginally a red state, but not a slam dunk," Cornyn said at a breakfast with reporters this morning. "There are strong candidates on the Democratic side, people like Bill White, the mayor of Houston, people like John Sharp, who are running and running hard."
There are now six people gearing up for a run to fill Kay Bailey Hutchison's U.S. Senate seat. Plus, there are at least five or six more that have been rumored to be considering throwing their hat in the ring for that race too.
A special election would likely be held in November 2009 if Hutchison resigns her U.S. Senate seat before September 28, 2009. If she resigns late in 2009, the special election to fill her senate seat would instead be scheduled for May 2010. Hutchison's resignation timing has a huge impact on when and how the six people gearing up to run for Hutchison's can themselves actually stand for election - but that's a story for another day.
Help Teens Get Accurate Health Information
Updated Thursday May 21, 2009 - Efforts to amend SB283, that deals with state health advisory councils, with language that would require "medically-accurate" information be taught in sex-ed classes in Texas public schools failed Wednesday afternoon. Republican lawmakers used a technicality to kill the "medically-accurate information" amendment. Debate on the amendment focused on the issue of providing information on condoms and their success vs failure rates at preventing unplanned pregnancies and STD infections. In the abstinence-only sex ed curriculum, condoms, if mentioned at all, are often described as ineffective and their use is discouraged.
After the "medically-accurate information" amendment defeat, House Democrats decided to not offer a second amendment that would've kept sex ed teachers from dissuading sexually active students from using contraception.
Democratic Rep. Mark Strama's amendment to notify parents about the content of their children's sex ed curriculum did pass, however, and SB 283 passed to third reading. SB 283 requires local ISD school health advisory councils or SHACs, to meet at least four times a year.
Original posting Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 8:02PM - What should Texas students learn about sex in schools? It's a thorny issue lawmakers may be forced to vote on on Wednesday.
A bill, SB283, dealing with state health advisory councils is likely to be amended Wednesday by Texas House lawmakers whose standalone sex-ed reform bills were stalled in committee. The amendments will require "medically-accurate" information be taught in sex-ed classes and that parents be informed of what their kids are learning in school.
Lawmakers who say the state's current abstinence-only sex ed policy isn't working are pushing for the amendments as a step toward reducing the state's high teen birth rate and the healthcare costs that stem from it.
"Teen pregnancy is really a social problem, very destructive, it's the first problem that many other social ills cascade from," said state Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio.
The amendments aren't strong enough to change the abstinence-only policy, but attempt to make sure what's taught under the policy isn't bogus information. The bill to watch Wednesday is SB 283.
Texas receives more federal abstinence-only education funding than any other state in the country, yet Texas has the nation’s third-highest teen pregnancy rate. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) a Texas teen gets pregnant every 10 minutes.
According to a report (PDF Full/Summary) released in February by the Texas Freedom Network (TFN) a majority of Texas schools use scare tactics and teach false information in their sex education classes. TFN's two-year study of education materials from 990 Texas school districts showed that about 94 percent of public schools use abstinence-only programs that usually pass moral judgments while giving inaccurate information on contraception and health screenings or ignoring the subjects altogether.
A recent, a large federal 2008 study, again confirms previous studies in its finding that abstinence eduction that tell teens to "just say no to sex" is not as effective as comprehensive sex education. "Taking a [abstinence] pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior, but it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking," according to Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ms. Rosenbaum's report, that appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics, highlights that:
After the "medically-accurate information" amendment defeat, House Democrats decided to not offer a second amendment that would've kept sex ed teachers from dissuading sexually active students from using contraception.
Democratic Rep. Mark Strama's amendment to notify parents about the content of their children's sex ed curriculum did pass, however, and SB 283 passed to third reading. SB 283 requires local ISD school health advisory councils or SHACs, to meet at least four times a year.
Original posting Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 8:02PM - What should Texas students learn about sex in schools? It's a thorny issue lawmakers may be forced to vote on on Wednesday.
A bill, SB283, dealing with state health advisory councils is likely to be amended Wednesday by Texas House lawmakers whose standalone sex-ed reform bills were stalled in committee. The amendments will require "medically-accurate" information be taught in sex-ed classes and that parents be informed of what their kids are learning in school.
Lawmakers who say the state's current abstinence-only sex ed policy isn't working are pushing for the amendments as a step toward reducing the state's high teen birth rate and the healthcare costs that stem from it.
"Teen pregnancy is really a social problem, very destructive, it's the first problem that many other social ills cascade from," said state Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio.
The amendments aren't strong enough to change the abstinence-only policy, but attempt to make sure what's taught under the policy isn't bogus information. The bill to watch Wednesday is SB 283.
Texas receives more federal abstinence-only education funding than any other state in the country, yet Texas has the nation’s third-highest teen pregnancy rate. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) a Texas teen gets pregnant every 10 minutes.
According to a report (PDF Full/Summary) released in February by the Texas Freedom Network (TFN) a majority of Texas schools use scare tactics and teach false information in their sex education classes. TFN's two-year study of education materials from 990 Texas school districts showed that about 94 percent of public schools use abstinence-only programs that usually pass moral judgments while giving inaccurate information on contraception and health screenings or ignoring the subjects altogether.
A recent, a large federal 2008 study, again confirms previous studies in its finding that abstinence eduction that tell teens to "just say no to sex" is not as effective as comprehensive sex education. "Taking a [abstinence] pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior, but it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking," according to Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ms. Rosenbaum's report, that appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics, highlights that:
Teenagers who receive abstinence-only sex education and pledge to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to have premarital sex as those who do not promise abstinence and are significantly less likely to use condoms and other forms of birth control when they do, according to a large federal survey released last month.Take Action: Ask your state Representative in the House to support amendments that Reps. Castro and Villarreal will offer during the debate on SB 283. Click Here to find your State Representative's contact information.
Socialist Ghosts
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Clever politicians have turned socialism into a frightening ghost. It has replaced terrorism as the catchall phrase. Should we get our pitch forks and kill this really scary monster? Maybe, but be careful what you kill. You might just kill a friend.
Socialism simply means public ownership of property. No more. No less. Governments turned to socialism when capitalism, privately owned businesses, couldn’t deliver a necessary product or service at an affordable cost.
For example, the Federal government used socialism to electrify the rural south. Projects like the Denison dam or the Tennessee Valley Authority absorbed the huge upfront costs of bringing affordable energy to sparsely populated regions of America. Capitalists preferred the customer rich cities. Socialism not only brought economic diversity to the South but also improved our quality of life.
Closer to home, we use socialism to deliver public education. Just a few years ago Sherman tried capitalism in one school. The Edison Project was all the rage at the time. After a couple of years, the project failed, and it cost the tax payers about $1 million to clean up the mess.
Socialism also provides a valuable safety net for our senior citizens. Social Security and Medicare are public institutions, not private, and most seniors are pleased with the services. Even though they are not perfect, Social Security and Medicare has provided peace of mind. In 1959 the poverty rate for Americans over 65 was approximately 35%. Today it has dropped to 10%. That is a success.
Capitalists have also benefited from socialism. Farmers, some of the most independent minded Americans, would struggle even more if all tax payers didn’t provide Farm to Market and county roads. Before governments took over road building, farmers had to make and maintain the roads themselves. We know that private road building stunts economic growth and publicly owned roads benefit us all.
Socialism appears in unexpected places. Every community bank and depositor relies on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to protect their investments. The FDIC sells affordable insurance as well as making sure bankers are conservative with our money. Where would we be today if AIG had provided this service?
We also rely on socialism for our Fire, Police and Defense Departments. The brave men and women who protect and serve us in times of crisis don’t work in a for-profit enterprise. They do, however, ensure that capitalists enjoy the freedom and security necessary for growth.
So, where is this scary ghost that politicians call “socialism”? Not in America. Not even in America’s past. You have to look across the oceans. The ghost’s name was Joseph Stalin, a communist dictator who terrorized and murdered millions. The Soviet Union lacked both a constitutional and democratic process to keep Stalin in check. Instead, he used torture, internal spies and lies as tools to increase his personal power. There is no “Stalin” in America’s future. With all our flaws, America is still strong.
Who are the scary American socialists then? Well, do you support public schools? Do you think we need to keep Social Security and Medicare? Do you believe we are safer with publicly operated Fire, Police and Defense Departments? Do you want to keep roads in the hands of state, county and federal government instead of private corporations? If you do, then you should look in the mirror. You might be a socialist. Are you scared yet?
Green News Audio Report - 5/19
One step forward and two steps back for climate change politics. All that and more in this "Green News Audio Report" from BradBlog. Download MP3 (6 mins), or
listen online here...
listen online here...
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine,The Eyes Of The DNC Are Upon Texas
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Read the full writeup about his visit at the BurntOrangeReport.com.
While DNC Chair Kaine was in the area, Shawn Stevens, former Democratic Party of Collin County Vice Chair, asked Kaine to encourage President Obama to produce a short video vignette for distribution to North Texas activists to emphasize the importance of their continued involvement in local politics and party support. Stevens says, "DNC Chair Kaine liked the idea and said he would take it back for consideration."Organizing for North Texas is a grassroots group that works with Organizing for America (OFA) in the DFW area. Organizing for America, the legacy successor to Obama's 2008 campaign organization, is now operated by the DNC.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
TX Senate Not To Confirm Creationist Don McLeroy As Chairman Of The State Board of Education, Or Maybe They Will
Update Wednesday May 20, 2009 - He's back - Chairman Don McLeroy got his once-imperiled nomination approved by the Senate Nominations committee this afternoon in a 4-2 vote. Lobbying effort's have apparently been under way for weeks - it worked. McLeroy's nomination could reach the full Senate for debate and a vote by Monday or Tuesday.
Senate confirmation of Don McLeroy, as chairman of the State Board of Education, is dead in the water, according to the Senate Nominations Committee chairman. (Statesman.com)
McLeroy, a dentist, was first appointed board chairman by Republican Governor Rick Perry in the summer of 2007. Young earth creationist McLeroy, recently reappointed as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) by Gov. Perry, believes Texas students should be taught the earth is only 6,000 to 10,000 years old and that modern man and dinosaurs walk the earth together.
Texas State Senate Nominations Committee Chairman Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, said that McLeroy's nomination will be left pending in committee because there is enough opposition on the floor of the Senate to block his confirmation, which requires approval of two-thirds of the senators. Senate Democrats alone could stop McLeroy's confirmation, but Republicans, too, have taken issue with the board.
McLeroy will keep his seat as a board member even if he was not confirmed as board chairman. Perry would then appoint a chairman from among the other board members who would not face Senate confirmation until 2011. Perry will likely continue to pander to the evangelical base of Texas Republicans and simply appoint one of the other creationists currently sitting on the board of education who also opposes teaching evolution in Texas school science class rooms.
The high-profile, bloody curriculum battles and controversial comments from creationist board members has Texas legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, in the mood to leave the state board of education headless and toothless after this session. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Texas legislature will have time to actually take up these measures by the time the session adjourns on June 1st.
Related Posts:
Senate confirmation of Don McLeroy, as chairman of the State Board of Education, is dead in the water, according to the Senate Nominations Committee chairman. (Statesman.com)
McLeroy, a dentist, was first appointed board chairman by Republican Governor Rick Perry in the summer of 2007. Young earth creationist McLeroy, recently reappointed as chairman of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) by Gov. Perry, believes Texas students should be taught the earth is only 6,000 to 10,000 years old and that modern man and dinosaurs walk the earth together.
Texas State Senate Nominations Committee Chairman Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, said that McLeroy's nomination will be left pending in committee because there is enough opposition on the floor of the Senate to block his confirmation, which requires approval of two-thirds of the senators. Senate Democrats alone could stop McLeroy's confirmation, but Republicans, too, have taken issue with the board.
McLeroy will keep his seat as a board member even if he was not confirmed as board chairman. Perry would then appoint a chairman from among the other board members who would not face Senate confirmation until 2011. Perry will likely continue to pander to the evangelical base of Texas Republicans and simply appoint one of the other creationists currently sitting on the board of education who also opposes teaching evolution in Texas school science class rooms.
Perry is playing politics with Texas Students - Perry's anti-Washington secessionist rhetoric and pandering on a range of right-wing social issues, including teaching creationism in Texas schools, is clearly working with the Texas Republican base. Perry is trying to woo the right-wing base away from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) who will oppose Perry in the 2010 GOP primary next March.The Texas House of Representatives approved a constitutional amendment in late April that would move the decisions about the $17.5 billion Permanent School Fund away from the state board of education to an appointed council of financial professionals. Plus, a bipartisan group of Texas State Senators introduced a bill to take away the elected board's authority over curriculum and textbooks.
An internal poll from Perry's campaign finds Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) beating him in a Republican primary now by just 45% to 39%. A more recent Rasmussen poll shows Perry passing Hutchison 42% to 38% in the last month. Hutchison was far ahead of Perry just a few months ago.
The high-profile, bloody curriculum battles and controversial comments from creationist board members has Texas legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, in the mood to leave the state board of education headless and toothless after this session. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Texas legislature will have time to actually take up these measures by the time the session adjourns on June 1st.
Related Posts:
- Young Earth Creationists Win The Day On Questioning Evolution In Texas Classrooms
- Science Takes Hits in Texas
- Texas School Board Set to Vote on Challenge to Evolution
- Texas House Bill End Run To Teach Creation In TX Schools
- Teaching Creationism Has Evolved
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