January | 2011 | TFN Insider

Monthly Archives: January 2011

Creationist Group Backs Out in Texas

The Foundation for Thought and Ethics, a prominent creationist group, has reversed a stated intention to submit instructional materials this year for use in Texas science classrooms. That decision, publicized on FTE’s website, is very good news for supporters of sound science education and students in Texas public schools. On the other hand, it almost [...]

Posted in evolution, Science adoption (2011), science and religion, State Board of Education | 3 Comments |


Anti-Science: Georgia Edition

Here’s U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Georgia, repeatedly rejecting evolutionary science on Friday. Think maybe creationists on the Texas State Board of Education will try appointing Kingston to a panel that reviews science instructional materials for public schools this spring?

Posted in evolution, science and religion, State Board of Education | 6 Comments |


The Right’s Anti-Education Reflex

It’s troubling that far-right members of the Texas State Board of Education insist on dumbing down education in science, social studies and other public school classes. But it’s hardly surprising. The knee-jerk anti-education reflex that characterizes the far right these days surely exasperates even mainstream conservatives. Eagle Forum’s website today offers another example of that [...]

Posted in education, Phyllis Schlafly, State Board of Education | 12 Comments |


Texas SBOE E-mails: Politicizing Science

Texas State Board of Education members are already moving to politicize the adoption of new instructional materials for public school science classes in Texas this spring. E-mails obtained by the Texas Freedom Network on Wednesday through a request under the state’s open records law make that pretty clear. In an e-mail exchange last November, for [...]

Posted in evolution, science, Science adoption (2011), State Board of Education | 8 Comments |


What’s the Emergency?

Both the Texas House and Senate have now released initial budgets intended to cover a massive state fiscal deficit that experts have placed as high as $27 billion. Cuts outlined in those budgets could mean the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in education — one lawmaker describes the effect on public schools as [...]

Posted in abortion, Rick Perry, Texas Legislature | 13 Comments |


David Barton: Still Flirting with Hate Groups

What’s his excuse this time? David Barton, head of the Texas-based group WallBuilders, once again is giving credibility to a far-right hate group. In 1991 Barton spoke at two events sponsored by groups with ties to white supremacists. He later pleaded ignorance, claiming that he had not known the groups were “part a Nazi movement.” [...]

Posted in David Barton, LGBT issues | 3 Comments |


McLeroy’s Heir

If you were wondering who would carry the anti-science banner on the State Board of Education after the departure of Don McLeroy, ladies and gentlemen, meet Representative Carlos “Charlie” Garza, R-El Paso: Last year my son came to me and started talking about global warming… and I showed him research that said that there is [...]

Posted in Charlie Garza, evolution, science, State Board of Education | 10 Comments |


More on the Foundation for Thought and Ethics

Yesterday, TFN broke the news that a creationist organization had formally notified the State Board of Education of its intention to submit materials for the upcoming science adoption. And not just any creationist organization — the Foundation for Thought and Ethics (FTE) is the publisher of the infamous textbook Of Pandas and People that landed [...]

Posted in creationism, evolution, intelligent design, Science adoption (2011) | 2 Comments |


Of Pandas and Texas

Breaking news from today’s State Board of Education meeting. The long and short of it — the war on science is officially back on in Texas. See TFN’s press statement for the basics. And watch TFN Insider for more in the days to come. CREATIONIST GROUP PUSHES ANTI-EVOLUTION MATERIALS IN TEXAS SCIENCE CLASSES Texas SBOE [...]

Posted in curriculum standards, evolution, science, Science adoption (2011), science and religion, State Board of Education, Uncategorized | 13 Comments |


Clues

As we expected, today’s Texas State Board of Education meeting provided at least some clues about whether the new board is likely to refocus its work on education instead of politics. Some clues were clearer others. On the positive side was the election of two moderates as board officers: Bob Craig, R-Lubbock, as vice chair and [...]

Posted in State Board of Education | 9 Comments |