Texas Social Studies Goes Conservative

(AP)  The Texas State Board of Education agreed to new social studies standards on Friday after the far-right faction wielded its power to shape the lessons that will be taught to millions of students on American history, the U.S. free enterprise system, religion and other topics.

In a vote of 11-4, the board preliminarily adopted the new curriculum after days of charged debate marked by race and politics. In dozens of smaller votes passed over the three days, the ultra-conservatives who dominate the board nixed all but a few efforts to recognize the diversity of race and religion in Texas.

Decisions by the board - long led by the social conservatives who have advocated ideas such as teaching more about the weaknesses of evolutionary theory - affects textbook content nationwide because Texas is one of publishers' biggest clients.

As part of the new curriculum, the elected board - made up of lawyers, a dentist and a weekly newspaper publisher among others - rejected an attempt to ensure that children learn why the U.S. was founded on the principle of religious freedom.

But, it agreed to strengthen nods to Christianity by adding references to "laws of nature and nature's God" to a section in U.S. history that requires students to explain major political ideas.

They also agreed to strike the word "democratic" in references to the form of U.S. government, opting instead to call it a "constitutional republic."

In addition to learning the Bill of Rights, the board specified a reference to the Second Amendment right to bear arms in a section about citizenship in a U.S. government class and agreed to require economics students to "analyze the decline of the U.S. dollar including abandonment of the gold standard."

Conservatives beat back multiple attempts to include hip-hop as an example of a significant cultural movement that already includes country music.

"We have been about conservatism versus liberalism," said Democrat Mavis Knight of Dallas, explaining her vote against the standards. "We have manipulated strands to insert what we want it to be in the document, regardless as to whether or not it's appropriate."

Republican Terri Leo, a member of the powerful Christian conservative voting bloc, called the standards "world class" and "exceptional."

Over the past three days, the board also argued over how historic periods should be classified (still B.C. and A.D., rather than B.C.E. and C.E.); whether or not students should be required to explain the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its impact on global politics (they will); and whether former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir should be required learning (she will).

Numerous attempts to add the names or references to important Hispanics throughout history also were denied, inducing one amendment that would specify that Tejanos died at the Alamo alongside Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie.

A day earlier, longtime board member Mary Helen Berlanga accused her colleagues of "whitewashing" the standards and walked out of the panel's meeting in frustration. Berlanga voted against the standards on Friday.

Berlanga also bristled when the board approved an amendment that deletes a requirement that sociology students "explain how institutional racism is evident in American society."

The three-day meeting that began Wednesday was the first since voters in last week's Republican primary handed defeats to two veteran conservatives, including former board chairman Don McLeroy, who lost to a moderate GOP lobbyist. Two other conservatives - a Republican and a Democrat - did not seek re-election. All four terms end in January.

McLeroy, a 10-year board veteran, has been one of the most prolific and polarizing members. The devout Christian conservative has been adamant on several issues, including that the Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers are important to studying American history.

In Texas alone, the board's decisions will set guideposts for teaching history and social studies to some 4.8 million K-12 students during the next 10 years. In almost six hours of public testimony on Wednesday, the board heard repeated pleas that the Christian heritage of the U.S. be reflected in the new standards as well as other requests that students learn more Hispanic examples of prominent historic figures.

[Bella1423]

OR perhaps Texas is doing things the right way. IF we haven't ALL forgotten, this country was founded on Christian beliefs. I believe that makes it a part of AMERICAN history meaning that it should be in the textbooks. The Pledge of Allegiance, part of AMERICAN tradition, has been taken out of the schools... whats next?

This is the land of the free, I believe we all know that. But why is it that all AMERICAN history, culture, traditions, etc. have to be compromised to accommodate others? Do our kids even know what the Pledge is anymore?

[sleepwalkee2]

RELIGION SHOULD BE TAUGHT BY THE MOTHER AND FATHER AND THE CHURCH THAT THEY BELONG TO. WE HAVE BECOME A VERY MULTICULTURED SOCIAITIE AND WE MUST TEACH ALL RELIGIONS OR NONE AT ALL.THIS WAY WE DON'T BECOME THE MIDDLE EAST DECADES FROM NOW,THINK OF OUR CHILDRENS AND GRANDCHILDRENS FUTURE.WAKE UP PEOPLE DO NOT SLEEP NOW BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE TIME TO SLEEP

[starving1968-3]

Religion should be banned outright.

Only then will America become "smart" again.

[Wolf1944]

The Attorney-General in Texas can practically make his own laws. Once upon a time, A-G Jim Mattox kicked creationism out of the Texas schools. He said it was a religious belief and had no business being taught in public schools.

Texas even had sensible gun laws in those days.

Sadly, those days are gone.

[starving1968-3]

Why do conservatives hate America so much?

And why are they constantly trying to misinform and under educate the nation's children?

[lakota2012]

Since these knuckledraggers only worship corporate GREED and the 2nd Amendment, I'm willing to bet that they will push for laws in texass allowing their morally-deficient spawn to carry guns to school, while disregarding the separation between church and state.

[lakota2012]

Absolute proof that the highly-partisan Neanderthal knuckle-draggin' morons from texass, should be allowed to secede immediately, since they have always brought America's total IQ much lower, with their conservitard anti-science and racist mentality, not to mention their socially unacceptable ideology!

[proman24]

ok so democrat is now a dirty word to be censored...ill continue to plead with these religious lunatics...pleeeease stop slowing down the progress of humanity. i know its like one of your cardinal principles but youre ruining everyone elses short existence.

[rockcutr]

Oh, so this is how history is made. By a bunch of zealots in stuffed shirts making up lies to tell the kiddies. Well done disregarding Mexican American Soldiers Medals of Honor. The whole bunch needs to be taken repeatedly to the woodshed and given the what for and the whom to. Then continued public abuse for as long as it is fun.

[KPeters_from_UK]

I cringe everytime something like this hits the UK media. Each time States becomes a laughing stock. So, here is a list of my gripes:

* In regards to pushing the topic of Evolution to one side and bringing in a bias towards a particular religion, no wonder there are less and less leading American scientists. Creationists refuse to understand the concept behind the word 'THEORY'. Look at gravity. We all know it exists but in the study of physics it is called 'The theory of gravity'. It does not diminish the fact of gravity.

*Don't these conservative Texans realize that the line between them and the Taliban is getting finer? How am I to protect my children from their theology with out the seperation of church and state?

* "Teachers in Texas will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state."

This quote does prove a theological bias if the teachers are not allowed to explain deism, anti-clericism and the rationale and historical ideals for separation of church and state.

You must remember that Rhode Island was founded based on the need for Roman Catholics to seek sanctuary from the Puritans. There was a need and still a need for a legal safety net to prevent one Christian group ruling over another. It is obvious that the "christians" in the Texas Board of Education are not of my Christian background. Again, WHO IS GOING TO PROTECT ME FROM THESE BORN AGAINS?

* "Replaces 'democratic' in references to the form of U.S. government with 'constitutional republic'." If we are to be republic again then we need to disallow the masses in elections. Let's have a certain property owner requirement in order to vote and participant on government and then maybe an education requirement too. Let's demonize Andrew Jackson in our schools and highlight John Adams and the Federalists. Power to the the LANDOWNERS!

[KPeters_from_UK]

Ensures that students learn about "the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association."

Okay, but only as long as equal time is given to Gloria Steinem, Green Peace, Global Warming, and the American Civil Liberties Union. AND I MEAN EQUAL TIME.

[jimbom121]

Can we allow Texas to seceed from the union...please!!! And you wonder why we lag other countries in basic math & science skills.

[Wolf1944]

Since Texas produces 15,89% of the nation's BTUs, the people in the Midwest might pretty cold if Texas seceded.

[starving1968-3]

I'd rather freeze, than call Texas part of our nation.

[KPeters_from_UK]

I cringe everytime something like this hits the UK media. Each time States becomes a laughing stock. So, here is a list of my gripes:

* In regards to pushing the topic of Evolution to one side and bringing in a bias towards a particular religion, no wonder there are less and less leading American scientists. Creationists refuse to understand the concept behind the word 'THEORY'. Look at gravity. We all know it exists but in the study of physics it is called 'The theory of gravity'. It does not diminish the fact of gravity.

*Don't these conservative Texans realize that the line between them and the Taliban is getting finer? How am I to protect my children from their theology with out the seperation of church and state?

* "Teachers in Texas will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state."

This quote does prove a theological bias if the teachers are not allowed to explain deism, anti-clericism and the rationale and historical ideals for separation of church and state.

You must remember that Rhode Island was founded based on the need for Roman Catholics to seek sanctuary from the Puritans. There was a need and still a need for a legal safety net to prevent one Christian group ruling over another. It is obvious that the "christians" in the Texas Board of Education are not of my Christian background. Again, WHO IS GOING TO PROTECT ME FROM THESE BORN AGAINS?

* "Replaces 'democratic' in references to the form of U.S. government with 'constitutional republic'." If we are to be republic again then we need to disallow the masses in elections. Let's have a certain property owner requirement in order to vote and participant on government and then maybe an education requirement too. Let's demonize Andrew Jackson in our schools and highlight John Adams and the Federalists. Power to the the LANDOWNERS!

[lakota2012]

Yep....the line between the Taliban and the texass conservitard bible humpers is getting more fuzzy, and it seems only these knuckledraggers are the ones that fail to acknowledge America's educational system is ranked 15th for math and science students, and that our health care debacle is the most costly in the world, yet ranked dead last out of the top 19 industrialized countries in preventable disease. Despicable!