I believe the recommendation of certain Editorial Boards that the Texas Legislature refuse to appropriate funds for new reading science and social studies textbooks for the children of Texas is both unethical and unconstitutional.
Their premise that the money simply isnt there" is a complete falsehood.
The State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to send the Legislature $1.2 Billion in the next 12 months. This funding will not cost Texas taxpayers one cent. Why? The SBOE members are stewards of the $22 Billion Permanent School Fund commonly known as the Childrens Textbook Fund. Capital appreciation of this endowment allows the SBOE to provide full funding to pay for new textbooks.
Promotion by Editorial Boards of this politically motivated redirection is irresponsible."
Attorney General rulings state that the Texas Constitution gives the SBOE the authority to send PSF proceeds to the Legislative for the purpose of purchasing textbooks approved by the SBOE.
Elected officials from the far left are threatening to appropriate" elsewhere the $1.2 Billion meant for Texas schoolchildren in 2011. Promotion by Editorial Boards of this politically motivated redirection" is irresponsible.
These Editorial Boards are also attacking SBOE conservatives for refusing to blindly follow all the recommendations of respected scholars and academic experts" for English language arts science and social studies.
For the first time in thirty years phonics returns to Texas."
Yet some of these experts promoted the failed whole language" method of reading and inventive spelling that annually puts Texas students in the nations bottom five on SAT verbal scores. Despite an alarming rate of frustrated students who drop out due to their inability to read and write these experts" vehemently opposed the statewide cry to return to phonics.
The new reading materials promote the phonics-based approach. For the first time in thirty years phonics returns to Texas.
Texas students deserve science education not political indoctrination."
In terms of new science textbooks experts on both sides agree that Texas will implement world class standards. Some experts" opposed the right of high school students to ask honest questions about research and theories especially those that deal with evolution and global warming."
The new science materials allow for careful examination and critical thought. Texas students deserve science education not political indoctrination.
The SBOE agreed with 85 of the recommendations of social studies experts."
The SBOE agreed with 85 of the recommendations of social studies experts. Documents of the Texas Education Agency prove that the new standards more than double the minority representation of any previous SBOE including the increased presence of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez.
…the only person mentioned more than Thomas Jefferson is George Washington."
And despite a nationwide campaign of lies the only person mentioned more that Thomas Jefferson is George Washington; and the Declaration of Independence authored by Jeffersons is required study in all twelve grades.
Though not recommended by the social studies experts the SBOE approved my nomination of Philip Bazaar who in 1865 became the first Hispanic recipient of our nations highest award the Medal of Honor.
Conservatives also voted to include Medal of Honor recipients Roy Benavidez William Carney and Vernon J. Baker. In 1865 Carney was the first African-American to earn the Medal of Honor.
In the past the far left seemed to have such a disregard for our military…"
This is the first time that minorities Bazaar Benavidez Carney and Baker will appear in the social studies standards.
Why? In the past standards the far left seemed to have such a disregard for our military that when searching for role models for our children they never considered minority recipients of the Medal of Honor.
The conservative Board members led in the efforts to pass numerous firsts" for minorities: the addition of Wentworth Cheswell Hiram Revels and Haym Salomon. In 1770 Creswell became the first African-American elected to public office. In 1870 Rev. Revels (R Mississippi) became the first African-American elected to the United States Senate. Haym Salomon a Jewish Patriot was an important financier of the American Revolution.
Other examples of minorities new to the standards include Judge Raul A. Gonzalez Astronaut Ellen Ochoa James Armistead Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir the Navajo Code Talkers the Tuskegee Airmen and the predominately Japanese-American 442nd regiment the most decorated regiment of WWII.
… some experts opposed teaching Veterans Day and Independence Day…"
It is a matter of public record both oral and written testimony that some of the experts" opposed teaching Veterans Day and Independence Day in elementary grades tried to delete instruction on the Liberty Bell as a symbol of American patriotism and wanted to eliminate Christmas as a holiday of major religious significance that impacts our culture.
A few experts" wanted to delete the word patriot" from the standards and to teach that students are global citizens first and Americans second. These so-called experts wanted to delete Astronaut Neil Armstrong Albert Einstein and any reference to America as an exceptional nation.
The reason the liberals are incensed is because the SBOE conservatives successfully defeated each one of these radical recommendations.
As an elected official my purpose is not to just rubber stamp" all the recommendations of academic experts especially when they want to continue funding a decades-old failed experiment in reading and writing or deny students the right to ask probing questions in science class or to promote a radical ideological agenda that distorts history and opposes American patriotism.
Ken Mercer represents 1.5 million Texans in 12 counties including: Blanco Burnet Caldwell Comal Gillespie Guadalupe Hays Kendall Llano and parts of Bell Bexar and Travis Counties.
I believe the recommendation of certain Editorial Boards that the Texas Legislature refuse to appropriate funds for new reading science and social studies textbooks for the children of Texas is both unethical and unconstitutional.
Their premise that the money simply isnt there" is a complete falsehood.
The State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to send the Legislature $1.2 Billion in the next 12 months. This funding will not cost Texas taxpayers one cent. Why? The SBOE members are stewards of the $22 Billion Permanent School Fund commonly known as the Childrens Textbook Fund. Capital appreciation of this endowment allows the SBOE to provide full funding to pay for new textbooks.
Promotion by Editorial Boards of this politically motivated redirection is irresponsible."
Attorney General rulings state that the Texas Constitution gives the SBOE the authority to send PSF proceeds to the Legislative for the purpose of purchasing textbooks approved by the SBOE.
Elected officials from the far left are threatening to appropriate" elsewhere the $1.2 Billion meant for Texas schoolchildren in 2011. Promotion by Editorial Boards of this politically motivated redirection" is irresponsible.
These Editorial Boards are also attacking SBOE conservatives for refusing to blindly follow all the recommendations of respected scholars and academic experts" for English language arts science and social studies.
For the first time in thirty years phonics returns to Texas."
Yet some of these experts promoted the failed whole language" method of reading and inventive spelling that annually puts Texas students in the nations bottom five on SAT verbal scores. Despite an alarming rate of frustrated students who drop out due to their inability to read and write these experts" vehemently opposed the statewide cry to return to phonics.
The new reading materials promote the phonics-based approach. For the first time in thirty years phonics returns to Texas.
Texas students deserve science education not political indoctrination."
In terms of new science textbooks experts on both sides agree that Texas will implement world class standards. Some experts" opposed the right of high school students to ask honest questions about research and theories especially those that deal with evolution and global warming."
The new science materials allow for careful examination and critical thought. Texas students deserve science education not political indoctrination.
The SBOE agreed with 85 of the recommendations of social studies experts."
The SBOE agreed with 85 of the recommendations of social studies experts. Documents of the Texas Education Agency prove that the new standards more than double the minority representation of any previous SBOE including the increased presence of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez.
…the only person mentioned more than Thomas Jefferson is George Washington."
And despite a nationwide campaign of lies the only person mentioned more that Thomas Jefferson is George Washington; and the Declaration of Independence authored by Jeffersons is required study in all twelve grades.
Though not recommended by the social studies experts the SBOE approved my nomination of Philip Bazaar who in 1865 became the first Hispanic recipient of our nations highest award the Medal of Honor.
Conservatives also voted to include Medal of Honor recipients Roy Benavidez William Carney and Vernon J. Baker. In 1865 Carney was the first African-American to earn the Medal of Honor.
In the past the far left seemed to have such a disregard for our military…"
This is the first time that minorities Bazaar Benavidez Carney and Baker will appear in the social studies standards.
Why? In the past standards the far left seemed to have such a disregard for our military that when searching for role models for our children they never considered minority recipients of the Medal of Honor.
The conservative Board members led in the efforts to pass numerous firsts" for minorities: the addition of Wentworth Cheswell Hiram Revels and Haym Salomon. In 1770 Creswell became the first African-American elected to public office. In 1870 Rev. Revels (R Mississippi) became the first African-American elected to the United States Senate. Haym Salomon a Jewish Patriot was an important financier of the American Revolution.
Other examples of minorities new to the standards include Judge Raul A. Gonzalez Astronaut Ellen Ochoa James Armistead Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir the Navajo Code Talkers the Tuskegee Airmen and the predominately Japanese-American 442nd regiment the most decorated regiment of WWII.
… some experts opposed teaching Veterans Day and Independence Day…"
It is a matter of public record both oral and written testimony that some of the experts" opposed teaching Veterans Day and Independence Day in elementary grades tried to delete instruction on the Liberty Bell as a symbol of American patriotism and wanted to eliminate Christmas as a holiday of major religious significance that impacts our culture.
A few experts" wanted to delete the word patriot" from the standards and to teach that students are global citizens first and Americans second. These so-called experts wanted to delete Astronaut Neil Armstrong Albert Einstein and any reference to America as an exceptional nation.
The reason the liberals are incensed is because the SBOE conservatives successfully defeated each one of these radical recommendations.
As an elected official my purpose is not to just rubber stamp" all the recommendations of academic experts especially when they want to continue funding a decades-old failed experiment in reading and writing or deny students the right to ask probing questions in science class or to promote a radical ideological agenda that distorts history and opposes American patriotism.
Ken Mercer represents 1.5 million Texans in 12 counties including: Blanco Burnet Caldwell Comal Gillespie Guadalupe Hays Kendall Llano and parts of Bell Bexar and Travis Counties.
