Change in Textbooks (Bowie, Jefferson: appointed, real estate, lawyers)

[orbius]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

In economics, the revisions add Milton Friedman and Friedrich von Hayek, two champions of free-market economic theory, among the usual list of economists to be studied, like Adam Smith, Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes. They also replaced the word “capitalism” throughout their texts with the “free-enterprise system.”
“Let’s face it, capitalism does have a negative connotation,” said one conservative member, Terri Leo. “You know, ‘capitalist pig!’ ”

Aren't conservatives the ones always complaining about liberals renaming everything? There is absolutely nothing wrong with the word capitalist. These people are fools!

Wasnt this renaming words to have a better ring a centerpiece of the book 1984? Not that the kids will ever know about it I'm sure the book is banned in schools in Texas.

[James2496]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

Education official stands by her Obama terror claim | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle More on Cynthia Dunbar.
Those of you from out of state who are reading this and aren't familiar with our recent primary may be relieved to know that Don McLeroy, the leader of the pack so to speak, lost to a more moderate Republican educator. Good riddance, I say. This is a man who, in trying to push creationism in Science, actually showed up with quotes he copied from a creationist website claiming them as his own. LOL.

The sad thing is that McLeroy, even though voted out by his constituents, will still be the man who votes on the new curriculum. I saw him interviewed on CBS News, and he was asked if the fact that he was voted out of office, largely because of the changes he forced in the curriculum, would he change his vote on the new curriculum standards or change the standards back to what the teachers recommeneded. Simple answer. "No."

[James2496]

Last year this same conservative board Moderator cut: one word, substitute "gutted" the English/Language Arts standards that had been worked on by leaders in the field for over a year. They rejected them, and, miracle of miracles, had a complete new conservative curriculum worked up the next day that they claim they worked out "over night." 1984 and Brave New World are here.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by James2496

The sad thing is that McLeroy, even though voted out by his constituents, will still be the man who votes on the new curriculum. I saw him interviewed on CBS News, and he was asked if the fact that he was voted out of office, largely because of the changes he forced in the curriculum, would he change his vote on the new curriculum standards or change the standards back to what the teachers recommeneded. Simple answer. "No."

Yes, he won't be out of there fast enough, but the fact that he lost made me feel a little better in that maybe people are waking up and paying attention to the board.

[loves2read]

the problem with the state board of education are that WE the people of Texas have allowed a public office to be taken over by a narrow-minded, agenda-ridden group of hacks--
they are too stupid to graduate from any high school in the state that is teaching an IB curricula IMO

People who do have a balanced view of life/politics/society --I am not asking for Obama liberals but just people with COMMON SENSE--there is not one person on that panel who has the grace to admit he or she could be wrong or the intelligence to ASK for the opinion of people who DO KNOW history...

we should be ashamed as a state to have people like this speak and have other states and countries believe that is the POV of Texas--it is not--it is certainly not my voice and not the voice of 99% of the social studies teachers who will have to enforce this pile of crap they are shoveling...

IF YOU ARE INCENSED

[orbius]

They are scared of people indoctrinating their children so they think its their duty to indoctrinate children. The kind of small minded psychological cause and effect immediate reflex here would be funny if it wasnt seriously going to impact children.
How about we just teach children independent thought and give them the capacity to reason and then just give them as many age appropriate facts as they can handle? Ooooh scary thought only for the small-minded type on this education board.

[LibertysFate]

Moderator cut: off topic

When I was in high school (about ten years ago, God I feel old), I think there were some parents who wanted their science teacher to teach creationism. So my biology teacher did, right after that she taught us evolution and left it up to us to decide which made more sense. Just because a textbook says one thing doesn't necessarily mean the teachers will teach it that way.

I had an awesome Texas history teacher in 7th grade. He told us all sorts of war stories that weren't in our books, and acted it out (he was like a big kid). In fact most of what we learned we learn from his "lectures" and not from our books. Needless to say, we were taking notes like college students.

Well, if they don't get the real information from their schools they'll learn it in college.

[loves2read]

what people have not really considered is that TX and a couple of other states because of the hugh amount of money they spend on textbook budgeting drive the text book market--
as TX goes, so goes the nation---so to parody---
so if WE put that kind of drivel into our textbooks--then it will show up in other state's books because of textbook inertia--they won't rewrite a book for each state they market too--

remember Crazies--the new movie about how water contamination by a downed AF plane with a "designed" psycho-weapon drives almost an entire town bonkers--this is the kind of similar nonsense that warps other people's thinking as well...

[catman]

Originally Posted by LibertysFate

Well, if they don't get the real information from their schools they'll learn it in college.

Not everyone goes to college (with college costs as they are, no surprise there). Besides, the kids in public school are more impressionable than college students.

I also had some great teachers who went beyond the book, but you can't count on that happening.

[KerrTown]

This could be Texas' weakest link. I guess no-one will move here anymore now that it's national. I mean the transplants will worry about their children's education being compromised by a madrasah-style curriculum similar to the Middle East while weighing the decision to relocate to Texas.