A proposal for new social studies curriculum in Texas public schools removes a mention of Christmas in a sixth-grade lesson replacing it with a Hindu religious festival ... 11-Sep Houston Chronicle
To my 12 counties and 1.5 million constituents I can not make this stuff up. Texas is in the middle of a Nationwide Culture War and I need your help!Right now in Austin September 16-18 the State Board of Education (SBOE) will vote on the above proposed change and a multitude of other new social studies standards developed by liberal experts.
April Castro of the Associated Press correctly reported:
The standards will remain in place for the next decade dictating what is taught in government history and other social studies classes in elementary and secondary schools. The standards also will be used to develop state tests and by textbook publishers who develop material for the nation based on their largest market Texas.
For decades Texas students were to identify the holidays of major religions that have impacted American history and culture.
The expert writing team of educators actually submitted a formal proposal to remove Christmas and Rosh Hashanah. (Click here to link to the document.)
Rest assured I am a solid NO vote. However the removal of Christmas and Rosh Hashanah is just the tip of a political iceberg.
Jonathan Saenz (an Attorney with the Free Market Foundation) and Brooke Terry (an Education Policy Analyst for the Texas Public Policy Foundation) each testified and identified numerous radical proposals by the far left.
Here are few of the proposed new standards my conservative friends and I have fought against 
during the past few months:
Kindergarten Social Studies:
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Remove a childrens biography of George Washington.
1st Grade Social Studies:
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Remove the suggested selection of a childrens biography of Abraham Lincoln.
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In the section on holidays customs and celebrations remove Independence Day and Veterans Day.
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In the list of character traits of good citizenship: Remove a belief in justice and truth.
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Remove the Liberty Bell from a list of patriotic symbols.
8th Grade Social Studies:
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In the history of the revolution section remove the phrase describe how religion contributed to the growth of representative government in the American colonies.
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In the section on the importance of personal responsibilities such as accepting responsibility for ones behavior delete supporting ones family.
High School Government:
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In the section on science technology and society remove the reference to the private sector as helping improve consumer products and only mention government-assisted research.
High School Economics:
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Change every occurrence of free enterprise system to capitalism.
By the way historical quotes from Ronald Reagan (Tear down this wall!) and John F. Kennedy (We will go to the Moon!) were also removed. Why? I hope you are sitting down. This testimony was recorded in my Committee and now a matter of public record:
These are Dead White Guys (followed by muffled raspberry sound)!!
I can not make this up. Again the above proposed standards are documented in the recorded public testimonies to the SBOE.
My friends I need your help and your support in this Culture War!
Let your friends family and radio / television media know about the September 16-18 SBOE meeting.
Ken Mercer represents exas State Board of Education District 5. He is a former member of the Texas State House of Representatives.
