Texas GOP backtracking on "critical thinking?" Forest for the Trees...

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday June 29, 2012 · 7:55 PM PDT

2012/06/29 · 19:55

By now, we're all familiar with this plan from the Texas Republican Party platform that can't be changed until 2014:

We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

The response from the Texas GOP was:

[The chairman of the Education Subcommittee] indicated that it was an oversight of the committee, that the plank should not have included ‘critical thinking skills’ after ‘values clarification,’” Elam said. “And it was not the intent of the subcommittee to present a plank that would have indicated that the RPT in any way opposed the development of critical thinking skills.

Fair enough. So, according to this, it was simply the use of the words "critical thinking skills" that was the problem. So, what you're left with is...

We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification) and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

The thrust of the plank still stands. They're still opposed to anything that has "the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." The underlying thread of "don't teach anything that might make me uncomfortable" is what should be confronted.

KY-04: There's a House race on the (D) side, also...

journeyman92

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday May 22, 2012 · 3:32 PM PDT

2012/05/22 · 15:32

On the (D) side, usually a written off conclusion, you've got Bill Adkins vs. Greg Frank. This is actually an interesting race.

Adkins is about as progressive as you're going to get here in Northern Kentucky -- meaning that if you go to his website (http://billadkinscongress.com/) -- you get a sensible bill of goods. Or at least he doesn't mention being pro-life -- and he doesn't bring his religion into his positions on issues.

Frank, on the other hand, is a Libertarian wackaloon. He wrote a book called "Common Sense II: Death of Democracy," which you can see on his oh-by-the-way-I'm-running-for-office website: http://www.comsense2.com/

Adkins at worst would be a light blue dog if he's able to beat this guy. If he and Massie both win, you'll have another teabagger against a reasonable individual. I would hesitate to call this anything other than a longshot, but still...stranger things have happened, I s'pose.

Kentucky Senate Voting open thread (w/poll)

journeyman92

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday May 20, 2008 · 7:56 AM PDT

2008/05/20 · 07:56

Another important race today is the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. The winner of this primary takes on Minority Leader Mitch "Money is Speech" McConnell. McConnell has his lowest approval rating in memory and is potentially vulnerable in November. McConnell will certainly run an unbelievably ugly campaign.

The front runner is Bruce Lunsford, a "Centrist" Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 2003 against Ben Chandler. After losing, he endorsed Republican Ernie Fletcher.

The top challenger is Greg Fischer, a more progressive candidate who's been endorsed by the netroots. There are a few other individuals on the ballot who aren't actively campaigning. Only one, Andrew Horne, officially withdrew.

Let's see how the results shape up in the Bluegrass as the day goes on. Recommendations are welcome to keep this thread visible...

Poll

33 votes Show Results

Who got your vote in the US Senate Race in KY?

33 votes Vote Now!

Who got your vote in the US Senate Race in KY?

Michael Cassaro

0 votes

Greg Fischer

20 votes

Bruce Lunsford

4 votes

James E. Rice

0 votes

Kenneth Stepp

1 vote

David L. Williams

0 votes

Not a resident of KY -- but watching things refresh is fun!

8 votes

Edwards in Kentucky -- the AP focus?

journeyman92

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday July 17, 2007 · 8:07 PM PDT

2007/07/17 · 20:07

Why, the "$400 haircut," of course!

Still, Edwards has lost some of his credibility in this predominantly Democratic region. They don't forget $400 haircuts around here.

"A haircut's a haircut. You can get the same one for $10," said James Rudd, a 28-year-old Whitesburg resident who's spent the past 10 years mining coal. "If he's so big on poverty, then why don't he give the other $390 to some homeless person?"

The "Still" negates everything, much like complimenting someone -- then inserting a "but" before crushing criticism. Mention is also given to Edwards' "lifestyle of means."

At least Edwards' message is filtering into the mainstream. We have to hope that some critical thinking skills still exist out there.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

journeyman92

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday June 30, 2007 · 9:55 PM PDT

2007/06/30 · 21:55

Every now and again, it's a good thing to remember that the members of the progressive blogosphere aren't the only ones with consciences.

Seeing the Constitution trampled is hard enough to take, but when I see the view of the United Nations taken by those on The Other Side of The Aisle, I wonder how many of them have read the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 1 is a good place to start:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Lots of thought went into this document. Pity we can't get more people to embrace what can happen when nations look beyond borders for vision.

RSS