Remember our screwed up Board of Education? Here's a thread from their 2010 scandal: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=193101. Well, 7 seats are up for election now with 6 incumbents, and I just want everyone to pay attention to it, research, and think carefully before voting. Here's who is up: Ruben Cortez Jr., D-Brownsville Marisa Perez, D-San Antonio Lawrence Allen, D-Friendswood David Bradley, R-Beaumont Pat Hardy, R-Weatherford Geraldine "Tincy" Miller, R-Dallas From: http://www.tfn.org/site/PageNavigator/issues_sboe_elections.html Here's a rundown of board member's positions on issues of the day. The Freedom Network says this information is nonpartisan, but their name is the Freedom Network for goodness sake, plus you can tell their bias in how the questions are worded. But, the responses are the candidates', and I can't find a better resource than this regardless: http://www.tfn.org/site/PageServer?pagename=issues_voter_guide&printer_friendly=1
Are these the people responsible for the lackluster education our kids are getting in public schools?
You were right about the questions, I just can't make it through them. All the board of education worries about is racism, climate change, sex education, and religion. Seems like such a small part of primary education.
Well, I think the questions speak to the culture war issues that have cropped up in the BOE and made headlines before -- selecting textbooks with propagandistic material on science, on American and Texas heritage, and on religion. They have put a lot of requirements on textbook publishers to put a particular narrative in the books they'll approve, which I don't find to be appropriate. I'd sooner have the bias of the teacher or even the textbook authors than that of an elected board. In the 2010 thread I linked, I had crowed about not being in the public education system and not having to suffer it. Now, my family is in it and I don't really want some rube from Dallas screwing it up.
I have always thought that a person can do the most good (or bad) by being a member of a school board. Generally a small group that an alpha personality can dominate and steer the board in his/her direction.
I have no way to back this up but it seems on issues of race, religion and world view primary/secondary teachers have very little influence. I agree with you that these less publicized elections are far more important and so thanks for starting the thread.
