Texas Loonies are at it Again

The religious nut-jobs are at it again in Texas.

Some of us follow the meetings of the Texas State Board of Education as a comic diversion, or for its sad displays of ignorance, or of course, for both.  In recent years, the Board has sought to change science standards to include more focus on biblical creation stories, and now it's messing with history and social science standards.

The Dallas News is reporting today that the Board's conservative bloc wants to add a new standard to the U.S. Government curriculum "that describes the Judeo-Christian Bible influence on the founding documents".  Further, conservative Board members advocate standards that credit the Great Awakening for creating "revulsion against the superior attitudes of British aristocracy and a revolt against British tyranny."

Conservative members of the Texas Board of Education take recommendations from evangelical minister Peter Marshall who runs a group "dedicated to helping restore America to its Bible-based foundations".  Marshall is not a curriculum expert, historian, or political scientist.

Look, people are entitled to think and believe what they want, of course.  Public officials however are supposed to act in accordance with our most deeply held public values, such as the one referred to by the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The Texas Board of Ed should leave proselytizing to the ministers in the pulpits on Sunday mornings.

Peter Marshall is entitled to lobby for whatever standards he wants in education.  But when he does, public officials should turn to expert historians and social scientists for true expertise.

Meanwhile, this blogger, well-educated in history and social science, and in his 18th year teaching the subjects, knows that Christianity's proper place in American history and government classes is smaller than Marshall wants.  Much smaller.  That's because we teachers are dedicated to teaching the facts, not to elevating the Bible to a place the Founders chose not to put it.

Give me a break Texas.

Read the Dallas News article here.