Rick Perry's going to have to look for a new State Board of Education chairman. The state Senate failed to confirm incumbent Don McElroy for a second term as chairman. The vote was along strict party lines, 19-11 (one member absent)--one short of the necessary two-thirds majority.
It seems pretty obvious why--McElroy is an ardent young-earth creationist, and apparently he'd let his beliefs get in the way of setting policy.
Democrats argued that McLeroy’s leadership has polarized the board, and that he has disregarded experts in the shaping of science curriculum standards and English, language arts and reading standards for 4.7 million Texas public school children.
"The state board has become increasingly divided and deeply dysfunctional and almost paralyzed to action at certain times," Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, said.
McElroy was a strong proponent of having Texas kids learn the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution--an obvious attempt to sneak "creation science" through the back door.
McElroy's defenders are crying foul, spouting the usual line that those evil Democrats are persecuting Christians.
McLeroy’s hometown senator, Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, defended the chairman, saying "his service has not been incompetent, illegal or out of bounds."
"I think Texas is watching here because I think, whether intentional or not, there will be a perception ... that we are applying a religious test for serving in this state," Ogden said.
[snip]
"If this isn’t about evolution, if this isn’t about what the Bible teaches, what is it all about?" asked Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, referring to opposition to McLeroy.
The bad news, however, is that a few days earlier, rumors abounded that Perry might actually be considering someone worse to chair the board.
There is speculation in the Capitol and within the Texas Education Agency that Gov. Rick Perry might elevate Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, to lead the board. Like McLeroy, Dunbar also holds strong Christian beliefs and recently authored a book that advocates more religion in the public square.