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Texans Read This

scotth

Graduate Poster
S
Joined
Feb 4, 2003
Messages
1,800
There are some rotten things going on in within Texas education right now. I am sure many of you have heard some or all of this. I will just provide a bullet summary of the history here. Then I'll provide resources to do something about it. I'll be linking extensively to our friend the Bad Astronomer's blog to back up the points of history. Basically because he did a great job of covering it and it saves me a ton of time and writing.

The very short story is that it looks like Texas is trying to put Intelligent Design in the science class.
I encourage you to continue reading the many links provided within those blog posts. Heck, I encourage you to read more of both those blogs. They are both pure greatness and are hugely entertaining (not to mention educational) on a daily basis.

So, what can you do as a Texas citizen? Glad you asked. Please contact your state representative, your state senator, your district SBoE member, and the governor. Tell them you are mad. Tell them that ID is religion and not science (as established in a Federal Court). Tell them a neutrality policy between Evolution and ID has the effect of promoting religion. Tell them religion doesn't belong in science class.

Or just simply tell them no, but do contact them. Numbers count in this game. Please, tell them what is on your mind.

To find your state representative:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/resources/faq.htm#who_rep

To find your state senator (bottom of page):
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Members.htm

To find your SBoE member:
District Map: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/districts.html
Member Contacts: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/members.html

Texas Governor Rick Perry
phone: (800) 252-9600 (Citizen Opinion Hotline)
phone: (512) 463-2000 (main switchboard for governor)
contact page

The TEA Commissioner is Robert Scott
e-mail: commissioner@tea.state.tx.us
phone: (512) 463-9734

Print this out or forward links to your friends and neighbors. Help get the word.
 
Yikes! I'll definitly respond and ask others to do so.
 
I've been watching this for a while. Hedgewitch and I have notified fellow Texans and will be writing Congresscritters.

Sigh. And here we are, moving back to Texas next year ...
 
Oh, boy. I'm on it.

ETA: The state representative link gave me everybody -- rep, senator, and SBOE member. Just so you know! :)
 
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I'm calling [ruleX] on Lizette Reynolds getting the email from an "unnamed source." I'll bet you Reynolds found out about Comer being a part of that "online community" and joined it herself to lay in wait.

Comer was called in about this one hour after she had forwarded the email. This just reeks.
 
Check out the related story under the "Education" thread.

Reported on NPR's Science Friday and in Randi's weekly commentary; a department of education employee was fired for forwarding an e-mail announcing a lecture by one of the Dover case attorneys.
 
Vorticity said:
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more"
- Henry V
Click to expand...

Geez . . . is there anything that says what you want to say better than Shakespeare? Beethoven and Shakespeare . . . instead of hip/hop. THAT'S a good plan.
 
Lots of folks (Texans and otherwise) are taking up pen and telephone and voicing displeasure.

I also urge you all to make your voices heard. You can find a detailed report of the travesty here.
 
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I really like this one too.

http://www.evolutionsociety.org/download/ComerLtr_RP_JS_DW.pdf

A highlight...
In contrast, the administrators who called for her termination and who forced her resignation acted irresponsibly and in direct opposition to the professional standards expected of those who oversee science education. Their comments, quoted above, make it clear that they have sacrificed not only a dedicated public servant but also the facts and the very nature of science to partisan political ideology. It is a sad day for Texas when TEA administrators resort to Stalinist-style purging to suppress the truth about the bankruptcy of “Intelligent Design” arguments.​
Click to expand...
 
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Of course, I have not claimed to be a Texan since I was really very small, but I would just like to say that I think it's very brave of you all.

It's not a great job, I'll grant you, but for the good of the rest of us, it really helps if the planet gets to have the odd laughing stock, here and there, once in a while.

I'd just like to thank the Lone Star State for stepping up to the plate, and putting on the white face, the red lipstick and the ping-pong ball nose.

God save America.
 
Henners said:
Of course, I have not claimed to be a Texan since I was really very small, but I would just like to say that I think it's very brave of you all.

It's not a great job, I'll grant you, but for the good of the rest of us, it really helps if the planet gets to have the odd laughing stock, here and there, once in a while.

I'd just like to thank the Lone Star State for stepping up to the plate, and putting on the white face, the red lipstick and the ping-pong ball nose.

God save America.
Click to expand...

And thank you for being the bag of gas that only spews noises of flatulence from its maw.
 
Phil said:
And thank you for being the bag of gas that only spews noises of flatulence from its maw.
Click to expand...

I can quite understand your frustration, Phil, and it must be embarrassing to be on the exhibit side of an exhibition like that.

However, just because a whole American State is choosing to act the village idiot is not a justification for being rude and personal.

If you want to do something useful, I'd suggest that you use your vote.

If that's not going to make a difference you could campaign.

If that's not going to achieve anything either, how can you possibly object if the rest of the world wants to have a laugh?
 
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