Social conservatives' power at issue in Texas education board races

[struggle4progress]

10:39 PM CST on Saturday, January 9, 2010
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
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AUSTIN – Social conservatives on the State Board of Education are facing a make-or-break juncture in this year's elections after three years of key victories in their longtime efforts to turn public schools in a vastly different direction.

Battles are shaping up for three seats held by social conservatives, both in the Republican primary and with Democrats lined up to seek a pair of those seats in the fall general election.

On the other side, a GOP candidate with social conservative leanings is seeking to knock off a longtime Republican incumbent in West Texas. That could give social conservatives a shot at their first majority on the 15-member board.

The winners will help make critical decisions on such things as the new science and history books that will be used in Texas schools in the next decade. And since Texas is one of the largest textbook purchasers in the nation, those decisions will dictate what books are marketed in other states ...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/010910dntexsboe.42546e9.html