Search Results for: mcleroy

Election results: McLeroy loses!

The second-best news of the evening is that wackjob SBOE member Don McLeroy lost to Thomas Ratliff, thus making the state’s worst elected body at least somewhat less dysfunctional. The board’s balance of power is delicate. Though it’s had ten … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Let’s make this a bad year for Don McLeroy

Don McLeroy is a wee bit concerned about losing one of his allies on the SBOE. State Board of Education former Chair (and current member) Don McLeroy wasn’t too concerned about losing Democratic swing-vote Rick Agosto. At least not at … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

McLeroy gets a challenger

Paul Burka breaks the news that Thomas Ratliff, son of former State Sen. and Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, will challenge Don McLeroy, the now-former chair of the State Board of Education, for his seat on the board next year. From … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Senate spikes McLeroy

Good for them. The Texas Senate on Thursday refused to confirm Don McLeroy as State Board of Education chairman after an impassioned floor debate. The 19 to 11 party-line vote was not enough to get McLeroy across the required two-thirds … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dems say they can block McLeroy

Good for them. San Antonio Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who chairs the Senate Democratic Caucus, said all 12 Democrats in the Senate plan to vote against the nomination [of Don McLeroy as Chair of the State Board of Education]. … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

McLeroy confirmation lives again

Back in April, the Senate declined to act on the confirmation of Don McLeroy as the chair of the State Board of Education, as Nomination Committee Chair Mike Jackson decided there weren’t enough votes to confirm him. That may not … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on McLeroy confirmation lives again

Endorsement watch: Three to get started

But first, why do endorsements, anyway? If newspapers are objective, why do you recommend candidates? Newspapers don’t endorse candidates. Editorial boards do. The editorial board is separate from the newsroom. It is made up of opinion journalists with wide-ranging expertise … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Still a “no” on Whitley

As it should be. Senate Democrats still pledge to block the confirmation of embattled Secretary of State David Whitley, even as a top Texas law enforcement official is taking blame for major errors in a list of suspected non-citizen voters. … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Whitley hearing

Not a great day at the office for our Secretary of State and his advisory-ing ways. Almost two weeks after calling into question the citizenship status of almost 100,000 registered voters, Texas’ new chief elections officer, David Whitley, defended his … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Trib overview of SBOE races

As always, there’s a lot of action in these low profile races. Among the contenders in the races to replace Republican Thomas Ratliff of Mount Pleasant and Democrat Martha Dominguez of El Paso is a 68-year-old East Texas retiree who … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Maybe Ratliff won’t step down from the SBOE after all

Just when he thought he was out, they (might) pull him back in. Gov. Greg Abbott appointed a social conservative and former staffer for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to chair the Texas State Board of Education on Thursday. Donna Bahorich … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Maybe Ratliff won’t step down from the SBOE after all

Fraser and Ratliff to step down

There’s good news: State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, announced Tuesday that he is not running for re-election, ending a tenure at the Capitol that has spanned four decades. “There comes a time when leaders must take a look at … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of September 23

The Texas Progressive Alliance is thoroughly enjoying some Republican slapstick comedy as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of September 23

Standing up for science

Sure hope it did some good. A past Texas State Board of Education chairman and outspoken creationist urged his former colleagues on Tuesday to approve high school biology textbooks he said would “strike a final blow to the teaching of … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Standing up for science

Races I’ll be watching for tonight

As noted this morning, I will be participating in a live chat tonight beginning at 7 PM at the Chron election blog. I hope you’ll come by and ask some questions about what happened today. There are many races to … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Three primary stories

TX Trib: 4 Democrats Vying to Replace Hochberg in HD-137 Observers say the winner of the contest for HD-137 is likely to be decided in the Democratic primary, whose four candidates are former Capitol staffers Joseph Carlos Madden and Jamaal … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Grading Texas science classes

We get a C. Texas public school science courses “pay lip service” to critical content and largely ignore evolution in the middle grades, according to a national education foundation study that gives the state of Texas an overall “C” for … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A look ahead to SBOE races

Regardless of what happens with the other maps, the one map that was precleared and is set for the next decade is the SBOE. With all 15 members up for re-election (like the Senate, everyone has to run in the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We need better information about our schools

SBOE member Thomas Ratliff makes a lot of sense about school accountability ratings and how little they really tell you about a given school’s performance. Many people across the state are familiar with the terms “exemplary,” “recognized,” “academically acceptable” or … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on We need better information about our schools

Perry appoints Forensic, SBOE Chairs

The new SBOE Chair is not who I expected. State Board of Education member Barbara Cargill, R-The Woodlands, will take the helm as the board’s new chairwoman, Gov. Rick Perry announced Friday. She will follow Gail Lowe, who was appointed … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

House approves Senate’s SBOE map

On to the Governor for final approval of the new SBOE redistricting map. The House voted 80-61 for the map, which contained changes made by the Senate and finishes the Legislature’s action on redrawing lines for the State Board of … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s Bradleys all the way down

Me, March 15, on the subject of SBOE Chair Gail Lowe’s confirmation issues in the Senate: I feel the same way about this as I did with Don McLeroy’s ultimately scuttled confirmation back in 2009. I have nothing good to … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Lowe has confirmation issues, too

John Bradley isn’t the only Rick Perry appointee who is having trouble getting confirmed by the Senate. State Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, who chairs the Senate Nominations committee, says Gail Lowe has not been scheduled for a hearing as chairwoman … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bradley gets committee approval

Can’t say I’m surprised. The Senate Nominations Committee voted 4-2 today to recommend approving state forensic board chairman John Bradley’s appointment. Sens. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin, voted against Bradley’s nomination. Four Republicans voted in favor; other, … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Bradley gets committee approval

Lineup set for HD44 special election

Here are your candidates for the special election to replace the late Rep. Edmund Kuempel of Seguin. Tony Gergely, a Seguin business owner, is the Libertarian in the race. The Democrats are Daniel Rodriguez Andrade of Seguin, who lists his … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“You know what that leads to? COMMUNISM!”

I normally consider it unseemly to kick a man while he’s down, but some men richly deserve it. The godless, left-wing radicals have taken over universities and the national government and are radically transforming the country, State Board of Education … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on “You know what that leads to? COMMUNISM!”

Is this the swan song for the clown show?

After all this time, my heart isn’t into snarking on the SBOE and its latest travashamockery. I just want to point one thing out from how the vote went on that ludicrous and hateful anti-Islam resolution: State Board of Education … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The SBOE and charter schools

Some members of the State Board of Education want to get into the charter school business. Representatives for Texas’ 460 independent charter schools asked the State Board of Education on Wednesday to tap into the state’s education trust fund and … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The clown show finally calls it a wrap

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some other state to be the national laughingstock again. The Court of Criminal Appeals gives it a good run for its money, but you just can’t out-embarrass the SBOE, and every … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

And the clown show gets underway again

Here’s your TFN liveblogging of today’s SBOE social studies hearings. Brian Thevenot of The Trib is also there, and he reports that an interesting character has asked the Board to slow down. Former U.S. Secretary of Education and Houston Superintendent … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Science textbook delay

The adoption of new science textbooks may be delayed a year as a budget maneuver. The $1.4 billion price tag for new science textbooks and other materials has been causing sticker shock among state officials bracing for the upcoming budget … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

White tells the SBOE to wait till next year

As we know, the SBOE is set to take a final vote on their proposed revisions to the social studies textbook standards. They’ve received a lot of mostly negative feedback so far, but have said they’re still considering specific suggestions. … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on White tells the SBOE to wait till next year

The historians have their say

The various legislative groups held their SBOE hearings on Wednesday. In pointing out the many ways in which that unesteemed body screwed the pooch on social studies, they joined with others in calling for a delay in adopting the new … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Just a minute, SBOE

I almost missed this op-ed by State Rep. Carol Alvarado about everyone’s favorite clown show, the State Board of Education. In it, she hits on a theme we’re seeing more and more of. How can board members claim that our … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment