Texas Freedom Network

8:45 – We’re back for the rest of this long evening…

8:56 – Barbara Cargill wants a standard in the Grade 6 world cultures class that requires students to learn about the “importance of morality and ethics” for a well-functioning capitalistic economy. The motion passes.

9:01 – The board continues its tedious plodding through the standards, and board members have yet to get to the courses in which we’re likely to see the most controversy — middle and high school history and government.

9:09 – This is just ignorant. Terri Leo wants to change a standard about holidays in major world religions (in a world cultures class for Grade 6) so that the holidays noted are mostly Christian and Jewish (and one Islamic) without any mentions of holidays from Hinduism and other holidays. One more time: this is a WORLD CULTURES class. Does this board realize how many people around the world are Hindus? Do they realize there are religions other than Christianity and Jewish? Of course they do. But some board members simply don’t care. Leo’s proposal goes down in flames, as it should. (Pat Hardy, who voted no, offers a clearly heard “Halleluja”!

9:20 – Ken Mercer is offering amendments designed to persuade students that government regulation and taxation are bad for the economy. And his suggestions are passing.

9:22 – Mercer wants students to learn reasons for limiting the power of government The board is venturing more and more into ideological dogma, not education.

9:49 – Now the board is debating whether cotton production is a form of farming and whether cotton should have its own mention in the standards for the Texas history class. Sigh.

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3:27 – The Texas State Board of Education is beginning its discussion and debate on new social studies curriculum standards.

3:47 – Oh, this is gonna be a lonnnggg afternoon…

3:53 – Board member Barbara Cargill has offered a variety of relatively minor amendments.

3:54 – To save our fingers, we’ll probably avoid recapping each amendment offered by board members unless it appears particularly significant or we’re bored. Or both.

3:55 – Board member Terri Leo wants kindergartners to learn how Christopher Columbus and John Smith helped shape Texas and America. The current standard lists just Stephen F. Austin and George Washington.

4:03 – Board member Mary Helen Berlanga wants students to learn about Jose Antonio Navarro. We expect this will be the first of a number of additions of Hispanic names to the standards at Ms. Berlanga’s request. The motion passes.

4:06 – Barbara Cargill wants first-graders to learn about Richard Allen, an African-American minister who lived from 1760 to 1831. The motion passes.

4:09 – Cargill wants to change a definition of good citizenship for first-graders that includes “responsibility for the common good” to say “responsibility in their daily lives.” Seems odd. What’s wrong with the common good? She also wants the definition to include “holding public officials to their word.” The latter suggestion is bringing debate, with some board members worried things are getting far to specific. One board member: How is a first-grader going to hold a candidate to his or her word? (None of the folks making objections to Cargill’s motion object to holding public officials to their word. They do seem to be concerned that board members are going to burden the standards with scores of small, specific changes.)

4:17 – We’re sorry. But is this the level of detail we really need in curriculum standards? Does anyone think public officials shouldn’t be held to their word? But is it necessary to add to first-grade standards? Really? We don’t object to the addition. But this is another example of board members who are so mired in minutiae they they lose focus on the big picture. If this is the level of debate we can expect this evening, then someone needs to roll in cots for rest periods.

4:26 – By the way, Cynthia Dunbar is missing again today. Very odd that the super-patriot is missing from a debate over social studies curriculum standards.

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Testimony and our live-blogging will resume after the board returns from a lunch break at 2 p.m. A live, streaming Web cast of the hearing is available here. Click on the January 13 link. SBOE Chair Gail Lowe says the board will end the hearing at 6 p.m., even if there are people still waiting to testify. Mary Helen Berlanga says she and any other board members who join her will stay until everyone has a chance to speak.

TFN Insider will continue blogging from the hearing at 2 p.m. In the meantime, please consider supporting the Texas Freedom Network and our work for sound curriculum standards for Texas public school students. We can continue our work only with your generous support. Please click here to donate.

2:10 – The hearing has resumed, with state Rep. Norma Chavez asking that students be required to learn about important Latino historical leaders, such as Cesar Chavez Irma Rangel and former congressman Henry B. Gonzalez.

2:25 – A testifier suggests that students are taught that socialism is better than capitalism, and she says that the standards promote discussions of social injustice and multiculturalism over discussions America’s accomplishments. Board member Mavis Knight asks for examples, but the testifier says she has none to give.

2:29 – Board member Mary Helen Berlanga pounces on the statement that “we shouldn’t focus on past injustices.” She asks whether that means social studies should simply ignore segregation and racial discrimination. The testifier: “I’m just saying, don’t emphasize them (past injustices).”

2:34 – Board member Rene Nunez: Would you say world history courses should ignore the Holocaust? Testifer: Well, that’s too specific of an example. “We should just stick to the facts.”

2:53 – Signs from the Tea Party “rally” (such as it was) at the Texas Education Agency today:

2:57 – A new testifier wants the standards to emphasize the 10th Amendment as limiting the power of Congress and protecting the rights of the states. He argues that U.S. government today threatens freedom. He pushes the concept of state nullification of federal laws that the state sees as unconstitutional.

3:02 – Board member David Bradley is sympathetic to the argument, of course, and notes that the federal government has no role in public education. Of course, the federal role in public education isn’t at issue today.

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9:58 – The Texas State Board of Education swept through the all five earlier items on its agenda this morning and have already begun the hearing on proposed social studies standards for Texas public schools. A live, streaming Web cast of the hearing is available here. Click on the January 13 link.

10:02 – TFN  President Kathy Miller is speaking. She sets the record straight: No one opposes teaching students about the influence of religion in American history. But she applauds the curriculum writing teams for not bowing to pressure to portray the United States and our government as favoring one faith over all others. She also calls on the board to give board members the opportunity to consult with experts when considering amendments.

10:05 – SBOE member Barbara Cargill assures Kathy that she consults with experts before she offers amendments. Kathy reminds her that other board members should have the opportunity to consult with experts before they vote on someone’s amendment.

10:07 – SBOE member David Bradley says the Legislature doesn’t call in more experts when lawmakers offer amendments. He says Kathy is challenging the board’s process. Indeed, she is challenging it — because the State Board of Education isn’t the Legislature. It’s a body that’s deciding what kids will learn in their public schools.

10:09 – SBOE chair Gail Lowe defends the board’s process and says board members should do their own homework. This is nonsense. The point is that they aren’t doing their homework.

10:09 – Kathy notes that unlike in the Legislature, the SBOE doesn’t prefile amendments so that board members can study them.

10:10 – Kathy is done. This was an astonishing display of arrogance on the part of board members. The board’s far-right faction in November refused to bring the writing teams and “expert” panel back to advise on the standards as they are revised by the board. And now they’re reiterating, in essence, that they can’t be bothered to listen to experts.

10:20 – Steven Green, director of the Willamette University Center for Religion, Law and Democracy is up now. Prof. Green warns that suggestions from so-called “experts” (David Barton and Peter Marshall, essentially) appointed by board members represent “bad history.” He warns that the Founders never intended to create a “Christian nation” based on Christian biblical principles.

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