Background: The Texas State of Board of Education is an elected 15 member board which along with the state Commissioner of Education oversees public education in Texas (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=1156). The SBOE has a broad mandate to establish goals for the public school system and to mandate curriculum knowledge and skill content.
In recent years, the Texas SBOE has been strongly influenced by a 7-member faction, led by Don McLeroy and Cynthia Dunbar, which have strong objections to the teaching of evolution and climate change in the science curriculum and are now considering changes to the social studies curriculum. McLeroy is known for his strong anti-evolution and pro-Christian opinions, and Dunbar, an attorney teaching at Liberty University in Virginia, was well-known for home-schooling her children.
On March 2, 2010, the Texas primaries changed the composition of the Texas State Board of Education, and the November elections become even more important to the SBOE future direction.
The Texas SBOE has broad influence beyond Texas, since an important part of its process is to influence the content of textbooks used in the public school system. Since the Texas market is so large (with 1,229 school districts and charter schools and more than 8,200 campuses), textbook publishers accommodate the SBOE recommendations and those textbooks are then found in districts across the nation.
The influence and direction of the Texas State Board of Education has been noted in many places. Most recently, the New York Times Magazine article, "How Christian Were the Founders?" (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/magazine/14texbooks-t.html) recognized the TX SBOE's importance:
The state’s $22 billion education fund is among the largest educational endowments in the country. Texas uses some of that money to buy or distribute a staggering 48 million textbooks annually — which rather strongly inclines educational publishers to tailor their products to fit the standards dictated by the Lone Star State. ... (Texas) was one of the first states to adopt statewide curriculum guidelines, back in 1998, and the guidelines it came up with (which are referred to as TEKS — pronounced "teaks" — for Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) were clear, broad and inclusive enough that many other states used them as a model in devising their own. And while technology is changing things, textbooks — printed or online —are still the backbone of education.
McLeroy's role was documented in the article:
Don McLeroy... proposed amendment after amendment on social issues to the document that teams of professional educators had drawn up over 12 months, in what would have to be described as a single-handed display of archconservative political strong-arming.
McLeroy moved ... students be instructed to "describe the causes and key organizations and individuals of 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." The injection of partisan politics into education went so far that at one point another Republican board member burst out in seemingly embarrassed exasperation, "Guys, you’re rewriting history now!" Nevertheless, most of McLeroy’s proposed amendments passed by a show of hands.
The current agenda of the religious conservative bloc is laid out in this quote about McLeroy:
"I consider myself a Christian fundamentalist," he announced almost as soon as we sat down. He also identifies himself as a young-earth creationist who believes that the earth was created in six days, as the book of Genesis has it, less than 10,000 years ago. He went on to explain how his Christian perspective both governs his work on the state board and guides him in the current effort to adjust American-history textbooks to highlight the role of Christianity.
The March 2 Primary Opens the Door to Change
The March 2 primary election suddenly changed the dynamics of the SBOE.
In District 9's Republican primary, Don McLeroy was upset in a very close race by attorney Thomas Ratliff, a Capitol lobbyist and son of former lieutenant governor Bill Ratliff. Since there is no Democratic challenger in District 9, Thomas Ratliff will replace McLeroy in January.
In District 10, Cynthia Dunbar did not seek re-election, and the Republican primary resulted in a run-off election between Marsha Haney and Brian Russell (with Dunbar's endorsement). Marsha Haney, who contributed more than $100,000 of her own money to her race, led in the three-way primary race. The winner will face Democrat Judy Jennings in November.
In District 12, the longest-serving SBOE member, Geraldine 'Tincy' Miller was defeated in a surprise by George Clayton, an educator in the Dallas area.
In District 5, incumbent Ken Mercer turned away a challenge from moderate San Antonio businessman Tim Tuggey, and faces Democratic challenger Rebecca Bell-Meterau.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN NOVEMBER - SBOE District 10 and District 5
There is a way to change the direction of the Texas State Board of Education - and the states across the nation which are influenced by this board.
The best way to change this direction is to support and elect the Democratic challengers in these races.
District 10 - Dr. Judy Jennings. Judy Jennings is an expert in education policy and assessment, has worked at the Texas Education Agency, and is committed to educating Texas students for the 21st Century. Judy needs your support to win against Marsha Haney or Brian Russell.
You can contribute to Judy Jennings' campaign through ActBlue at https://secure.actblue.com/...
District 5 - Dr. Rebecca Bell-Metereau is an award-winning educator at Texas State University. She has always served her community, both locally and globally. She taught English and American studies in the Peace Corps and served as a French interpreter for U.S. Air Force relief flights in Chad, one of the ten poorest countries in the world. She was a Fulbright scholar and teacher in Senegal.
You can support Rebecca through ActBlue at http://www.actblue.com/...
Now get out there and vote in November!