State Board of Education Votes 10-5 to Nix National Dues

DallasBlog.com | Terri Leo:

“In a bold move the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) voted 10-5, a vote which split down party lines, to remove itself from membership in the National Association of State School Boards (NASBE). I put forth the motion because many of NASBE's policies are out of touch with mainstream America and because NASBE has taken positions with which the majority of the SBOE disagrees.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Ms Leo lists three areas of disagreement:

• the SBOE thinks that highlighting separation of church and state as a First Amendment right is "misinformation"
• the SBOE does not support comprehensive sex education
• the SBOE does not want homosexuals to be a victim category in any policy on bullying

This offers insight into why education in Texas is in a sorry state. It's not only that the legislature won't fund it. It's also that the SBOE is more interested in promoting a narrow cultural agenda than in educating our children.

Instead, the SBOE should let the churches break down the Constitutional separation of church and state, if they want to try to change our laws. The SBOE should let the churches pass moral judgment on contraception and homosexuality, if they want. The SBOE should quit letting some churches dictate the public school curriculum for all of Texas' children. The SBOE should focus on educating our children, and that means reading, writing, arithmetic, ... and biology and the facts surrounding human reproduction, in other words, sex education. The SBOE should focus on creating an environment where learning can happen for all of Texas' children... and not let schools tolerate bullying, including bullying of gays and lesbians. The SBOE should get back into the education business and out of the religion business.