Now's the time to educate State Board of EducationBy STATE SEN. RODNEY ELLIS
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
April 8, 2010, 8:19PM
We already know that the Texas Legislature will face a huge fiscal deficit when it meets in January. But it's clear now that legislators must also address a deficit of trust in the State Board of Education.
Parents have become increasingly concerned about state board members who seem more interested in promoting personal and political agendas in public schools than ensuring that our schoolchildren get a sound education. The last three months have once again highlighted why they are worried.
For nearly a year, teachers and scholars worked hard to craft new curriculum standards for social studies classrooms. Then in just two meetings in January and March, the state board shredded their work, making hundreds of ill-considered changes.
Things got so bad in January that even a Republican board member charged that her colleagues were simply “rewriting history.” ........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6950541.html