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5:10 pm CST - January 25, 2010
Posted under On The Record
Gov. Perry Rebuffs Federal Attack on Texas Education, But State Threat Emerges
By Jim Cardle
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has taken a principled, and much appreciated stand against federal intrusion into one of our society’s most precious cornerstones – education. His decision not to pursue money for Texas schools through the federal government’s “Race to the Top” grant program is right on every level. Here are a few reasons why:
- Texas education standards are nationally recognized for their excellence. No need to dumb them down.
- Texas would lose control of its curriculum by having to adopt national curriculum standards under the federal program.
- In exchange for minimal per student funding, the public in Texas would lose its ability to shape our public education system.
“Our states and our communities must reserve the right to decide how we educate our children and not surrender that control to a federal bureaucracy,” Gov. Perry said in announcing Texas’ decision.
He noted that Texas’ education standards were developed through an open process involving parents, teachers and business leaders and were then adopted by elected members of the State Board of Education not by unaccountable bureaucrats in Washington.
Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott reinforced the governor’s concern by pointing out the federal curriculum Texas would be forced to adopt would be written in a room somewhere without significant input or feedback and would exclude the average Texas.
We wholeheartedly agree. But that doesn’t mean public education is safe.
In fact, the very attacks that are being repulsed from the national level are gaining a foothold at our own state level.
These attacks are occurring through the adoption of open source textbook rules proposed by the Texas Education Commission, rules that completely exclude public participation in curriculum development and circumvent the opportunity for educators, parents and the public to review and comment on instructional material before it is adopted for classroom use.
The open-source rules would allow school districts to buy instructional material that has not gone through the public review and comment process and, by doing so, threaten to undermine decades of public input that is responsible for the quality public education system Texans enjoy today.
We need Gov. Perry to stand tall against these proposed Texas bureaucratic proposals and to prevent the TEA from doing at the state level what he is stopping Washington from doing to Texas curriculum at the federal level.
While final adoption of the open source rules has been delayed until March, the door is cracked open and action is needed now, before it is too late.
“We’d been foolish and irresponsible to place our children’s future in the hands of unelected bureaucrats…and to virtually eliminate parents’ participation in their children’s education.”
Gov. Perry drafted those comments to renounce the federal “Race to the Top” program.
The sad fact is those same comments describe perfectly what will happen to Texas education if the open source rules are put into place at the state level.
If it’s bad on the federal level, it’s equally as bad on the state level.
It’s time for Gov. Perry to bring the open source issue into the full light of day and to stand up for the right of the public to continue participating fully in the development of the curriculum that will be used to teach our children.
James B. Cardle is President & CEO of the Texas Citizen Action Network, a dynamic community of Texas leaders who develop ideas, brainstorm solutions & acquire the skills necessary to impact the public policy decision making process in Texas.
7 Comments
CWJensen
8:06 pm CST
January 25, 2010
Sounds GOOD to me.
However, unless I am mistaken Mr Cardle is a member of Rick Perry’s steering committee.
So just STEER Rick in the RIGHT direction. :)
Pat
9:31 pm CST
January 25, 2010
That is why I want to see Perry remain our governor. He has the courage to stand up to this Administration’s intrusion into all areas that should stay under state control. They add strings to any monies offered. If school officials criticize him for not taking this money, they shouldn’t. Surely they don’t want state and local authorities to lose this kind of control over education. We fought against the progressives and atheists efforts to restrict questions and debate in science classes. We will do the same when they try to change history to their liking. There’s been too much left out already. Why have they stopped the Constitution of the United States and the Texas Constitution tests from being a part of social studies. We were required to pass those when I was in school. Can someone tell me when that was no longer a requirement?
Info Warrior
9:42 pm CST
January 25, 2010
Pat, Constitutional testing is no longer required as liberals have been taking over our education system. Everyone needs to read “Indoctrination U” by David Horowitz. Unfortunately it is in Texas, not as bad as California and New York, but still bad. Once again, the media is not covering it.
We have to be informed and write letters and contact legislators, etc. We sit back and do nothing and we pay big time.
Whoever controls our education system will ultimately control our country. With out action by those who care, we are in big trouble. The education system is under a three prong attack by radicals, Islamists, and the “Gay” bunch. Unfortunately, it is a real assault and we must fight back.
Christian Archer
4:24 pm CST
January 25, 2010
Info Warrior, you words are true. The battles we see in the House, Senate, Oval Office and in our courts are a result of the careful indoctrination (brainwashing) of our children in the public school system. To truly reform our nation, it begins at the community level and in the public school system. I’m a parent of three boys and have had the pleasure of confronting a principal and teachers regarding my Christian value system and how it clashes with the public school system. The public school system prides itself in saying, “We don’t promote any one religion.” That is laughable. They promote their religion of “secular humanism” which is diametrically opposed to Christianity. Thus the battle begins.
RICHARD
12:53 pm CST
January 25, 2010
NOW is the time for all citizens to attend meetings for text book selection in their districts. Get on their websites and find out WHEN the meetings are.
Christian Archer
4:59 pm CST
January 25, 2010
Thanks Richard! We’ll take our country back starting at the local level. A man from my church got on the Ft Bend School District Board and now he’s the president of the school board. He’s a dynamic Christian with very high morals and a personal friend. Hopefully all of Ft. Bend will be affected in a godly way by the decisions that he and the school board makes. Isn’t it the school boards that accept and reject textbooks? I need to research the answer to that question.
Christian Archer
11:49 am CST
January 25, 2010
Most of the people on this website are constantly saying, “I’m tired of career politicians.” “We need term limits.” I have to admit I’m one of them. So if those are your views, I challenge all of you, myself included, to think seriously about the following facts and be consistant and faithful to your convictions. I know, we all make exceptions and that is our perrogative.
Rick Perry: served in Texas Hous of Representatives 6 years
served as Agricultural Commissioner 8 years
served as Lt. Governor 2 years
served as Governor 10 years
__________
26 years of public service=career politician
Those who vote for Mr. Rick Perry, I hope don’t have voter’s regret. May the Lord help us all in this difficult choice. I’m leaning towards Debra Medina because of the above and my convictions.
MARANATHA!
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