Is Our Texas Children Learning?

According to a new survey out, the answer is big Lone Star State “nope”.

“A new survey released by the nonprofit group Texans Care for Children shows that one out of every three Texas students may not make their way across the graduation stage to receive their diploma. 

“The survey reveals that Texas is ranked last in high school graduation rates and also found that more children in Texas had to retake kindergarten.”

Truly, this is a thorny issue facing many an American school district. So, what would be the best method of improving scholastic achievement?

If you answered, “by appointing a Creationist as head of the Texas State Board of Education”, you have won a cookie!

From the Dallas Morning News:

“[...]in 2003, Dr. McLeroy was one of four board members who voted against proposed high school biology textbooks because he felt their coverage of evolution was “too dogmatic” and did not include possible flaws in Charles Darwin’s theory of how life on Earth evolved from lower forms.

But Dr. McLeroy said his vote on the biology books had nothing to do with censorship or religion and was based on “good science.”

So why should you care if Gov Rick Perry wants his entire state’s children to grown up ignorant of science, good or bad? Well, thanks to the fact that one in fifteen of America’s children live and go to school in Texas, the Texas Board of Education wields huge textbook buying power, and, as such, they get to influence the scope and content of science textbooks all over America!

In a moment of priceless hypocrisy, McLeroy, a Creationist dentist, in his argument against teaching Darwin in schools, stated:

“It is wrong to teach opinion as fact,” he said.

Which was quickly followed in the interview by his assertion:

“I’m a very religious guy, and I’ve taught Sunday school for several years. It’s important to me.”"

Apparently, it’s only wrong to teach scientific opinion as fact, in the case of religious dogma it’s the Gospel truth! 

Fortunately for Texans and children everywhere, the TX SBoE has just concluded its final draft and according to the Star-Telegraph:

“The final proposal for the state’s science curriculum pleases scientists and watch groups, who say it will help protect Texas public school classrooms over the next decade from what they call “watered-down science” — specifically during the instruction of evolution.

‘Much of the concern over earlier versions of the proposed curriculum centered on a requirement that students be able to analyze the “strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories, a phrase which some say is being used by creationists — including some members of the State Board of Education — to subvert the teaching of evolution.

“Some members”? Of the fifteen members of the TX State Board of Education, seven are young earth, Biblical literalist Creationists, so this is not over, by a long chalk.