Texas Freedom Network: "Is This about 'Payback' or Education?"

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas

Wed Apr 28, 2010 at 03:41 PM CDT

The Texas Freedom Network asks the exact question: Is This about ‘Payback’ or Education?

“Payback?” That’s a remarkable admission, whether Mr. Scott realizes it or not, that the board is politicizing the standards and — by extension — our children’s public school classrooms. We repeat our concern here: this curriculum revision process shoudn’t be about politics or whatever political majority controls the board. Decisions about what public schools teach should be based on sound scholarship and should prepare our kids to succeed in college and their future careers.

Martha Griffin, who has covered the SBOE far longer than I have at her blog, Musings, chimes in as well. From her post: "Education Commissioner Robert Scott Makes Case for Texas Democrats"

The Commissioner of Education in Texas is appointed, not elected. The Governor makes the appointment. Today, at a legislative hearing over the proposed social studies standards, Governor Rick Perry's appointee, Robert Scott, unwittingly made the case for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC):

"This inspires passion," Texas Education Commissioner said. "When you push out a particular group and say, 'we don't care about you' over time that creates a problem."

Scott added: "And when the pendulum swings back, you know, there's - whether you call it payback or a shifting in the alignment - I think that we need to be mindful as we deliberate to try to prevent the pushing out of any group, regardless of who they are. And that's what I think this process needs to be about."

Now, what he was talking about was the poor, oppressed religious right who got themselves elected to the State Board of Education for one reason only - to inject religion into the new science and social studies standards. They "snuck" onto the Board in plain sight when Texas Democrats were asleep on the job and didn't run anyone against them.

No one is sleeping this election cycle. Help our great SBOE candidates immediately!

• SUPPORT Rebecca Bell-Metereau, SBOE Place 5
  
• SUPPORT Judy Jennings, SBOE Place 10
• SUPPORT Michael Soto, SBOE Place 3

Previous Stories

• Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott Describes SBOE Curriculum Changes As "Payback" 
• SBOE Chairwoman Gail Lowe Ducks Texas Lawmakers