Texas Legislation

It's been a while since I've posted anything about the Texas State Board of Education.  I've been pretty fed up with their crap and found that the more I paid attention to it, the more negative it made me feel, so I backed off for a while for my own sanity.  I don't think I even said anything when the science curriculum standards passed (although it was a mixed bag).  But today provides a small amount of hope that things might eventually change for the better.

You see, today the Texas legislature took up the motion to re-confirm Don McLeroy as Chair of the Texas SBOE.  And luckily, he failed to be re-confirmed.  It was close with 19 votes for confirmation and 11 votes against (a two thirds vote is required).  So what does this mean?  Well, it simply means McLeroy will no longer lead the Texas SBOE.  He's still a member, just not its chairman.  Gov. Perry now has to nominate a new Chair and the dance starts all over again.

But for now, I feel a tiny bit better about this state I live in.

I've never gone to see the Texas Legislature in action, but like most people, I envision a pretty orderly process when a vote comes to the floor.  Lots of stern faces, ready to fulfill the duty for which they were sent to Austin to do by their constituents.  Sure, there might be the missing member here or there, but if they aren't there, no vote for you!! right?  WRONG!!  Just check out the video below that was sent to me today.  I know it's been around a while, the report is from May, but it's new to me...must be the hole I live in...need to get out more, or at least watch TV more.

Now this is just freaking scary....

Continue reading "Whack-A-Vote"

I had posted earlier about HB 3678, entitled "Relating to voluntary student expression of religious viewpoints in public schools".  As you recall, I was concerned that this bill opened up the door to prayer in the texas schools.  Well, it does that, but it also allows for students to answer questions citing their religious beliefs regardless of whether those answers are correct in regard to the cirricullum.  For example, this means a student could answer a question about the age of the world as 6000 years citing their religous views and the teacher would have to give them credit.  I could go on, but the organization Texas Citizens for Science has summed this up much better.  I would recommend you read their letter sent to the Texas legislature and if this doesn't make you nervous, I'm not sure what will.

House Bill 3678 was recently signed into law by Governor Rick Perry, giving students protection from discrimination when expressing religious views in Texas public schools.  Not only that, but basically it allows for daily prayer recited to the student body. Continue reading "Prayer in Texas Public Schools"

Texas House Bill 2684 introduced by Warren Chisum to the Texas Legislature would require couples seeking a divorce to attend a crisis marriage education course of no less than 10 hours prior to the granting of a divorce.  And by the way, the couple has to pay for this course! Continue reading "So You Want a Divorce? Not so fast!"

House Bill 1034 was quietly passed in the Texas legislature changing the Texas Pledge of Allegience.  How did they change the pledge?  Well, they added the words "One State Under God" to the pledge.  The original pledge was created in 1933, and the last change to the pledge happened in 1965 to correct an error.  No other significant change has occurred...until now.

Continue reading "Changing the Texas Pledge"

Texas House Bill 1287 allows for Texas high schools to teach an elective course in the Bible, both new and old testament.  This bill is being introduced under the guise of teaching Biblical content in order to better understand its impact on literature, art and contemporary culture.  However, it seems to be the exploitation of a legal loophole to squeeze a bible class into the public schools.

Continue reading "Teaching the Bible in Texas High Schools"