I'm a recent transplant from Washington, D.C. to Texas. While I'm not your typical carpetbagger - I moved here with the intention of becoming a Texan - there's one thing I learned fast: Texan pride is thoroughly non-partisan. One-hundred percent of Texans will assume you are trying to start a fight with them if you insult the Lone Star State, even when taking a dig at those that work against Progressive values. And let's not forget that Texas is the home state of people like Lyndon B Johnson, Jim Hightower, Linda Chavez-Thompson, Barbara Jordan, Molly Ivins and Ann Richards. Somehow, Texan Progressives have figured out a way to get along with the Independents and Conservatives, and still get work done. Sure, the situation is pretty embarassing - our State Board of Education just approved a social studies curriculum that removed Thomas Jefferson and a host of other historically significant people. It's clear that many Texans are pretty ashamed at the national coverage of the debaucle. But here's a few other things to keep in mind, as you're teeing up your Texas-focused snark: - The State Board of Education is not the Texas School Board. I've seen incorrect references of the State Board of Eduation (SBOE) as the "Texas School Board". Texas has over 1,000 independent school boards (ISDs) - these School Boards have final jurisdiction over what happens on public school campuses. The SBOE sets standards that the ISDs have to implement, such as testing standards and curriculum guidelines. The ISDs, like their name imply, act independently of the SBOE.
- This problem is nearly 40 years old. The most recent takeover of the State Board of Education by Religious Conservatives started nearly 20 years ago, as this report shows. Texas Freedom Network's Education Fund has done a great job at documenting and debunking the Conservative misinformation floating around Texas. We've had a long time to be outraged about this.
- Public commenting (and all the other negative visibility and ridicule available on the Internet) can be cathartic for some, but it only helps makes our work in convincing moderate Republicans more difficult. The two races that are most promising are SBOE District 5 (Rebecca Bell-Metereau) and District 10 (Judy Jennings). Both districts historically have been Republican strongholds, but places where it is possible to win over moderate conservatives. As you might imagine, when the rest of the Progressive Internet and mainstream media is calling Texans members of an extreme terrorist group, it doesn't help the Texan Progressives engaged in persuasion efforts. (Note previous rule on Texan pride.)
- The best was to help is to donate to people like Rebecca Bell-Metereau and Judy Jennings. I asked the opinion of a few tribal elders who are knowledgeable about the SBOE, and their take was that regardless of how aggressive or voluminous public commeting is, there is virutally no chance that the current ruling or votes will change after the comment period. It just potentially hurts our chances in November. Massive displays of histrionics and blame just become more evidence that incumbents Ken Mercer and Cynthia Dunbar can point to that will discredit Bell-Metereau and Jennings.
I'm not trying to police anyone's expression - I'm all for organizations generating lists and donors, but please know that from where I sit, your list generation happens at the expense of hurting Texan Progressives. It's not a principled way to operate, particularly since so many progressive organizations come to Dallas, Austin and Houston to fundraise.
We're in a different sort of war - with the election of President Barack Obama, almost all of the obvious demons of inequality have been publicly defeated. The next part of the battle is much more difficult, and the demons are internal. We now live in a world where we are fighting for hearts and minds, as well as dollars and everything else. If the modern Progressive Movement wants to be taking seriously, we have to be willing to support our fellow activists and organizers on a continual basis, not just when someone screams "you lie". We're not supposed to be the team of hate or fear tactics. We're supposed to be respectful of difference and diversity - whether that's skin tone or economic background or geographic location. Because that's what being a Progressive is to me - RESPECT - and applying that respect in a principled way. There's a fine line between satire, sarcasm and blatant insults. Perspective has a lot to do with how that nuance plays out. Please remember that one person's "joke" can act like napalm in places where some of us are trying to plant seeds of a sustainable Progressive Movement. |
