Hard-right wing has already lost 2-of-7 members
By Mary Tuma The Texas Independent
For the past four years Texans have watched the State Board of Education (SBOE) parodied on late-night talk shows and skewered during comedy monologues for its controversial decisions on everything from sex education and evolution to most recently social studies curricula. While 10 Republicans and five Democrats serve on the board a seven-member socially conservative bloc managed to consistently swing decisive votes its way on contentious issues steamrolling the boards three moderate Republicans and remaining handful of Democrats.
The highly politicized faction was heavily criticized in the national media for basing influential rulings on conservative doctrine and for injecting religious ideology into widely used textbooks.
However with primary upsets that removed hard-right voters from the board and an upcoming general election that favors more moderate candidates the blocs power appears to be on the wane.
Remaining under the radar for the most partexcept when national attention is thrust upon them when particularly disputed topics ariseboard members have vast responsibility during their four-year terms. The body establishes education policy in public schools and determines curricula and standardized testing for Texas 4.7 million students.
In addition board members oversee investment to the $22 billion Permanent School Fund one of the largest educational endowments in the nation.
Yet many feel these crucial tasks have been systemically overshadowed by personal agendas partisan squabbling and culture wars" among competing political parties. While most eyes will be following the governors race this election the SBOE races are in several regards as vital to the states 
economic social and political fabric.
Shifting political landscape
March primary election results yielded wins for moderates and symbolized Republican voters growing agitation with the current boards far-right makeup. In GOP primaries (traditionally thought to favor the more conservative candidate) voters effectively helped steer the SBOE toward the middle of the political spectrum in a few key races.
The most significant outcome was the victory of Thomas Ratliff a lobbyist and the son of popular former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff over Bryan dentist and young-earth creationist Don McLeroy perhaps the most vocal well-known and inflammatory conservative on the board and the subject of many news features including in The New York Times Magazine The Texas Observer and The Austin American-Statesman.
Ratliff faces no Democratic challenger for District 9 ran in strong support of depoliticizing the board and is open to amending the recent social studies curriculum changes.
In what was a surprise to many moderate Republican and 26-year incumbent Geraldine Tincy" Miller lost her District 12 seat to political unknown George Clayton. Though he appears moderate rejecting personal biases and prejudices" in the textbook decision-making process according to his website many still wonder if Clayton will ultimately side with the socially conservative bloc. If elected the Dallas school teacher plans to mandate approval of all curriculum proposals by a general vote of teachers in a district.
Private school advocate conservative Christian and Republican Cynthia Dunbar of District 10 chose not to seek reelection. The contest for her seat went to a runoff pitting her hand-picked successor Brian Russell against self-proclaimed common-sense conservative" Republican Marsha Farney who was victorious. A university professor who aligns herself with the tea party movement Farney is moderate in comparison to Dunbar and Russell.
Farney faces Democrat Judy Jennings in November.
Those primary outcomes tilt the board toward the center likely reducing the hard-right bloc to five members rather than seven. Contested general 
elections in Districts 3 5 and 10 (Read profiles of these races) could further define the ideological makeup of the board.
Textbook delay
While some SBOE candidates have called for a reexamination of controversial social studies curricula standards that put the board under national scrutiny the states budget gap will likely prevent the texts from heading to press anytime soon allowing time for reform.
Texas Education Agency spokesperson Debbie Ratliff said that with an estimated $18 billion shortfall the prospect of new textbooks scheduled for purchase in 2012 is highly unlikely. It could take until the 2015 legislative session to get the books financed.
There is a big question mark about that now. The state budget is clouding up and its not at all clear that there will be money for them" she said.
Science textbooks are taking a backseat as well due to budget constraints; the board voted to buy supplemental materials in lieu of new books.
Budget woes and superfluous debate may be a thing of the past as a new era of digital textbook adoption catalyzed by recent legislation is expected to remove pressure from the future SBOE curriculum review process and 
deliver a greater degree of flexibility.
Debbie Ratliff said the most intense days of debate are behind at least until public health standards head to the agenda in two years. She remains on the fence about the boards new makeup.
Its a little too early to tell. There have been a lot of predictions that the board is moderating but we really wont know until after November" she said.
