Senator wants to abolish State Board of Education 1:39 PM Tue, Mar 23, 2010 |
Terrence Stutz/Reporter
Sen. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen said Tuesday he will sponsor legislation next year to abolish the State Board of Education in the wake of the board's recent decisions on curriculum standards for U.S. history and social studies. The Democrat said the GOP-dominated board has allowed its cultural and political biases to shape the curriculum that will be taught to Texas students in the future.
"For years, a faction within the SBOE has moved farther to the fringes, determined to wage a cultural war," said Hinojosa, referring mainly to the bloc of social conservatives on the board. "Their methods consist of manipulating public school curriculum by controlling what is taught based on personal ideological agendas." Hinojosa referred in particular to a board decision to not have students study First Amendment language that requires separation of church and state - an idea first championed by Thomas Jefferson.
It won't be the first time that some lawmakers have filed a bill to get rid of the state board. Several bills were filed in 2009 that would have either eliminated the elected panel or scaled back its powers. However, none of the measures passed - in large part because Republicans control both houses of the Legislature and the state board has a solid majority of Republicans.
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/03/senator-wants-to-abolish-state.html