Don't *Mess* With Texas

[AquaAthena]

Good news: Back to Basics?

March 12, 10

A conservative-stacked panel of Texas Board of Education members endorsed a draft proposal of the state's social studies curriculum on Friday. The curriculum, if approved, will be used to create content for textbooks in the Lone Star State.


Conservative members had their way in the 11-4 vote, which came one day after several Democratic board members walked out, claiming the proposed standards dilute the contribution of minorities to American history and culture. The debate, which picked up again Friday morning, ended with only a single Democrat voting to support the new standards.


The draft will go on line for public comment for one month, and then the full Board of Education will meet in May for more debate and a final vote.


The proposed curriculum updates social studies standards used for courses, and by extension, textbooks that eventually may end up in classrooms across the country.

Members worked late into the night to pass amendments on everything from removing references to hip hop music to requiring students to study the concept of American exceptionalism.

The new standards, when approved, will be used in textbooks designed to be in Texas classrooms in the fall of 2013 -- but as a practical matter, administrators say it may be later than that.

The debate has spurred national interest, since Texas is such a huge purchaser of books for its 4.7 million students. Textbook publishers often take books that conform to Texas' curriculum and sell them to schools and districts in states across the country.



TX Board of Ed Passes Draft Curriculum Liveshots...

 

[Wry Catcher]

I fly Delta, and generally hold my 'rest stop' until we cross the boarder over Texas air space. Then I relieve myself. I know, it's only symbolic, but shitting on Tom Delay and the rest of the RW assholes feels really good.

 

[Coyote]

...requiring students to study the concept of American exceptionalism.

Isn't that propaganda?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

As a fan of hip hop I have to wonder why students would be learning about hip hop at school in the first place. I don't recall learning about Biggie and Tupac's feud in history class, and I don't remember sing-a-long with Bone Thugs in music class.

 

[uscitizen]

The new textbooks will be in the classroom in 2013?

 

[Toome]

I fly Delta, and generally hold my 'rest stop' until we cross the boarder over Texas air space. Then I relieve myself. I know, it's only symbolic, but shitting on Tom Delay and the rest of the RW assholes feels really good.

The irony of your misspelled word in a post about education is priceless.

 

[goldcatt]

Good news: Back to Basics?

March 12, 10

A conservative-stacked panel of Texas Board of Education members endorsed a draft proposal of the state's social studies curriculum on Friday. The curriculum, if approved, will be used to create content for textbooks in the Lone Star State.


Conservative members had their way in the 11-4 vote, which came one day after several Democratic board members walked out, claiming the proposed standards dilute the contribution of minorities to American history and culture. The debate, which picked up again Friday morning, ended with only a single Democrat voting to support the new standards.


The draft will go on line for public comment for one month, and then the full Board of Education will meet in May for more debate and a final vote.


The proposed curriculum updates social studies standards used for courses, and by extension, textbooks that eventually may end up in classrooms across the country.

Members worked late into the night to pass amendments on everything from removing references to hip hop music to requiring students to study the concept of American exceptionalism.

The new standards, when approved, will be used in textbooks designed to be in Texas classrooms in the fall of 2013 -- but as a practical matter, administrators say it may be later than that.

The debate has spurred national interest, since Texas is such a huge purchaser of books for its 4.7 million students. Textbook publishers often take books that conform to Texas' curriculum and sell them to schools and districts in states across the country.



TX Board of Ed Passes Draft Curriculum Liveshots...

So in other words, these folks on the right want to do exactly what they've pissed and moaned about the left doing.

I have a novel idea. How about we just go back to teaching kids the facts and leave all of these leftovers of the culture wars on the playground where they belong?

 

[Contumacious]

Tonight, we introduced you to Don McLeroy, pictured above, a Texas dentist, self-described "Christian fundamentalist" and elected Board of Education member.

He is pushing for more focus on conservative leaders and issues -- and less of what he calls liberal bias in school textbooks.

No doubt some in the educational establishment will criticize the efforts, but that won't necessarily keep those lessons from textbooks that will be taught at schools across the country.

So tonight, we ask: Do you think America's textbooks are too liberal? Or is this wrongly politicizing the classroom?

Tell us what you think.

Nothing more than a bullshit pretext to impose their theocratic views. The so-called conservatives correctly state that the US is a Constitutional Republic. I would like to see their explanation for the gazillion state laws which transgress upon our right to life, liberty, property and to pursue happiness.


.

 

[Joe Steel]

I once worked for a company which had significant operations in Texas so I met a quite a few Texans. For the most part, I didn't like them for their arrogance. I did, however, have to admit that even among those holding jobs which didn't require high levels of education I found a high level of literacy and articulation. They could assimilate new ideas and discuss them. I always attributed that to the Texas school system. I figured it focused on basic education for everyone. I guess the Texas school people are working to change that. They seem eager to make sure their students grow-up narrowly-focused on comfortable dogma and ignorant.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

I fly Delta, and generally hold my 'rest stop' until we cross the boarder over Texas air space. Then I relieve myself. I know, it's only symbolic, but shitting on Tom Delay and the rest of the RW assholes feels really good.

The irony of your misspelled word in a post about education is priceless.

Yes. It's also interesting that he puts more planning, thought and preparation on where and when he shits than he does on whether to bother spelling 4th grade-level words correctly.

This is why his posts are shit too, because he uses about the same planning, thought and preparation in his ideas as he does on where/when to shit.

 

[Ringel05]

Years ago California was the lead state for modeling text books for the nation. I remember a 'backlash' movement that got started in the late 80s, early 90s over the omission of text in history books that CA deemed was not PC enough.
Looks like the nation had enough of the ultra liberals 'cooking the books' (so to speak) and decided to use TX. as the model. Now TX might be headed down the same road in the opposite direction.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

modeling text books

I vote "yes" for those!

 

[rightwinger]

How long before Texas secedes?

America can't wait

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Years ago California was the lead state for modeling text books for the nation. I remember a 'backlash' movement that got started in the late 80s, early 90s over the omission of text in history books that CA deemed was not PC enough.
Looks like the nation had enough of the ultra liberals 'cooking the books' (so to speak) and decided to use TX. as the model. Now TX might be headed down the same road in the opposite direction.

It's more driven by economics than anything else. CA is an economic disaster, therefore has lost the stroke in textbooks.

 

[goldcatt]

Years ago California was the lead state for modeling text books for the nation. I remember a 'backlash' movement that got started in the late 80s, early 90s over the omission of text in history books that CA deemed was not PC enough.
Looks like the nation had enough of the ultra liberals 'cooking the books' (so to speak) and decided to use TX. as the model. Now TX might be headed down the same road in the opposite direction.

It's more driven by economics than anything else. CA is an economic disaster, therefore has lost the stroke in textbooks.

What I find fascinating is the conservatives who claim they want local control of schools and curriculum, but are all right with this decision potentially controlling textbooks used across the nation so long as the books reflect their own point of view. So much for the right wing being any diferent from the left.

 

[Ringel05]

Years ago California was the lead state for modeling text books for the nation. I remember a 'backlash' movement that got started in the late 80s, early 90s over the omission of text in history books that CA deemed was not PC enough.
Looks like the nation had enough of the ultra liberals 'cooking the books' (so to speak) and decided to use TX. as the model. Now TX might be headed down the same road in the opposite direction.

It's more driven by economics than anything else. CA is an economic disaster, therefore has lost the stroke in textbooks.

What I find fascinating is the conservatives who claim they want local control of schools and curriculum, but are all right with this decision potentially controlling textbooks used across the nation so long as the books reflect their own point of view. So much for the right wing being any diferent from the left.

Exactly my point. now if we could only get 'politics' out of the non-civics text books. Ah yes, hope springs eternal!

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Years ago California was the lead state for modeling text books for the nation. I remember a 'backlash' movement that got started in the late 80s, early 90s over the omission of text in history books that CA deemed was not PC enough.
Looks like the nation had enough of the ultra liberals 'cooking the books' (so to speak) and decided to use TX. as the model. Now TX might be headed down the same road in the opposite direction.

It's more driven by economics than anything else. CA is an economic disaster, therefore has lost the stroke in textbooks.

What I find fascinating is the conservatives who claim they want local control of schools and curriculum, but are all right with this decision potentially controlling textbooks used across the nation so long as the books reflect their own point of view. So much for the right wing being any diferent from the left.

Not sure it matters to them whether the entire nation follows their textbook standards or not. It matters to them if Texas does.

The rest of the deal, the "nationwide effect" is nothing at all other than economics.

 

[goldcatt]

It's more driven by economics than anything else. CA is an economic disaster, therefore has lost the stroke in textbooks.

What I find fascinating is the conservatives who claim they want local control of schools and curriculum, but are all right with this decision potentially controlling textbooks used across the nation so long as the books reflect their own point of view. So much for the right wing being any diferent from the left.

Not sure it matters to them whether the entire nation follows their textbook standards or not. It matters to them if Texas does.

The rest of the deal, the "nationwide effect" is nothing at all other than economics.

And you're fine with that effect? I'm not. No more than I was with the far left setting de facto nationwide standards regardless of the reason. Propaganda is propaganda and wrong is wrong. If anything, Texas having a greater nationwide impact - and knowing it - means they have a much higher standard of responsibility. California failed when it was their turn, it doesn't give Texas a pass to fail just as badly knowing what the result will be.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

 

[Midnight Marauder]

What I find fascinating is the conservatives who claim they want local control of schools and curriculum, but are all right with this decision potentially controlling textbooks used across the nation so long as the books reflect their own point of view. So much for the right wing being any diferent from the left.

Not sure it matters to them whether the entire nation follows their textbook standards or not. It matters to them if Texas does.

The rest of the deal, the "nationwide effect" is nothing at all other than economics.

And you're fine with that effect? I'm not. No more than I was with the far left setting de facto nationwide standards regardless of the reason. Propaganda is propaganda and wrong is wrong. If anything, Texas having a greater nationwide impact - and knowing it - means they have a much higher standard of responsibility. California failed when it was their turn, it doesn't give Texas a pass to fail just as badly knowing what the result will be.

I am fine with the economy of bulk. What TX or CA do with that responsibility -- which neither ever asked for by the way -- is up to them.

If you really look at what was done here you'll agree much of it was needed. I think kids really should be taught about the founders and framers, and Einstein and Bell, Tesla and Edison, for examples.