Search Results for: mcleroy

“The list of shame”

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here are three last reminders of that gang of idiots known as the State Board of Education before they return in May to finalize the vandalism they committed last week. First up, from the Texas Freedom Network: So what happened? … Continue reading →

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Time to send in the clowns

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You know that old expression about how no one’s life, liberty, or property are safe when the Legislature is in session? That’s how I feel these days about the State Board of Education. And that means it’s loin-girding time, because … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of March 8

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance would like to thank the Academy by presenting it with this week’s roundup. Click on for the highlights.

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More on the SBOE

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Freedom Network does a victory dance over the defeat of wingnut SBOE member Don McLeroy, noting that overall the forces of good did much better than the far right did. “Don McLeroy was right when he said this … Continue reading →

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Following the election results

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll be at my precinct convention tonight, and after that I’ll be off to at least one results-watching event. I hope to post some results this evening, and whatever I don’t get to I’ll post in the morning. Obviously, there’s … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Statesman on the SBOE

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman makes some recommendations in SBOE primaries in hopes of getting a better, or at least a slightly less dysfunctional, Board for the coming year. In the District 5 Republican primary, Tim Tuggey, 54, gets our endorsement. Tuggey, running … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: DMN for Ratliff and Kinky

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Dallas Morning News has a couple of endorsements of interest, one good and one puzzling. In the good one, they endorse challenger Thomas Ratliff in his GOP primary race for the SBOE against wingnut Don McLeroy. McLeroy, a board … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of February 1

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is ready for the Super Bowl this Sunday as it brings you this week’s blog highlights. Click on for more.

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Endorsement watch: ParentPAC for Thomas Ratliff

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m very glad to see that the Texas ParentPAC is getting involved in the SBOE primaries. Here’s their press release for the District 9 GOP race: The bipartisan Texas Parent PAC today announced its endorsement of Thomas Ratliff for election … Continue reading →

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The DMN on the SBOE

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN takes a look at the various State Board of Education races for 2010. Much of this we already know, but two things to note: Eight of the 15 board seats are on the ballot this year. Three of … Continue reading →

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The SBOE slate

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Martha has a great rundown of the slate of candidates for the State Board of Education, along with some partisan index numbers for the districts, which you should check out. The best part about this is that with Michael Soto … Continue reading →

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You can try, but you can’t out-embarrass the SBOE

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Court of Criminal Appeals has had a good run lately as the public institution that has caused the most embarrassment to Texas, thanks in no small part to the ongoing Keller saga and the recent hot judge-on-prosecutor ruling. But … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for August 9

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next year, this date will be 8/9/10. This year, it’s not nearly as interesting. One reason some politicians lie so much is because there are no consequences for it. Firefighting: A great example of the government doing something a lot … Continue reading →

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Defining “expert” down

Posted on July 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman editorial board lets us know how Don McLeroy defines an “expert” on something. Don McLeroy, who couldn’t muster enough votes in the Republican-dominated Texas Senate to win confirmation as chairman of the State Board of Education, has a … Continue reading →

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Perry appoints Lowe chair of SBOE

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The good news is, he didn’t pick Cynthia Dunbar. The bad news is, it’s not clear how much better new State Board of Education Chair Gail Lowe will be. Lowe, co-publisher of the Lampasas Dispatch Record, was first elected to … Continue reading →

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SciencePAC

Posted on July 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Chad Orzel mentions an idea by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum from their book Unscientific America. Why not form a nonpartisan science political action committee, or PAC, devoted to funding candidates who are either scientists themselves or who make science … Continue reading →

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Dunbar in line to chair SBOE

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The crazy never stops. Critics who engineered the recent ouster of State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy, in part because of his strong religious beliefs, could end up with someone even more outspoken in her faith. Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, … Continue reading →

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Five for SBOE 10

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I think it’s safe to say the State Board of Education elections aren’t going to be the obscure affairs they’ve historically been any more. We know that now-former SBOE Chair Don McLeroy has drawn a high-profile primary challenger, and one … Continue reading →

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Perry’s salvage job

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

How can you tell that sine die is approaching? Governor Perry starts getting involved in the legislative process. Perhaps state lawmakers are fatigued by Gov. Rick Perry’s long tenure or maybe they’re just balking at his leadership, but the Republican-led … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The zombie nominee

Posted on May 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the Senate confirmation of Don McLeroy as Chair of the State Board of Education, which we all thought had been scuttled back in April, got new life earlier this week when Senate Nominations Committee chair Mike Jackson, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of May 4

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s four weeks to sine die for the Lege, but the Texas Progressive Alliance is never out of session. Click on to read this week’s highlights.

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Weekend link dump for May 3

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It was the flu pandemic, and it swept the whole world wide… And yes, I remember the 1976 swine flu vaccination debacle. If only there had been Twitter in 1918. Doesn’t anybody read “The Masque of the Red Death” any … Continue reading →

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First they came for the science books…

Posted on April 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The State Board of Education strikes again. The Texas State Board of Education is set to appoint a social studies curriculum “expert” panel that includes absurdly unqualified ideologues who are hostile to public education and argue that laws and public … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Separating the Permanent School Fund from the SBOE

Posted on April 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The State Board of Education continues to be as popular as swine flu in the Lege. Thanks to Rep. Donna Howard’s HJR 77, which passed the House today, Texas taxpayers get to vote on who will manage the Permanent School … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Another chance to slap the Governor

Posted on April 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege has had a few opportunities to express its opinion about Governor Perry and his “leadership” this session. Passing the unemployment insurance bill, inserting the budget amendment that would strip funding from the Texas Enterprise Fund in the event … Continue reading →

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Another chance to slap the Governor

Posted on April 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege has had a few opportunities to express its opinion about Governor Perry and his “leadership” this session. Passing the unemployment insurance bill, inserting the budget amendment that would strip funding from the Texas Enterprise Fund in the event … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Clipping the SBOE

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has the quote of the day. The fallout from the State Board of Education’s debate over the teaching of evolution continued this morning in the Senate Education Committee, which held a spirited discussion on Sen. Kel Seliger’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Clipping the SBOE

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has the quote of the day. The fallout from the State Board of Education’s debate over the teaching of evolution continued this morning in the Senate Education Committee, which held a spirited discussion on Sen. Kel Seliger’s … Continue reading →

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Win some, lose some for science

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the basic conclusion to draw after the three-day circus that was the now-concluded SBOE hearings in Austin. TFN Insider sums it up: TFN President Kathy Miller: Texas State Board of Education Adopts Flawed Science Standards The word “weaknesses” no … Continue reading →

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The “strengths and weaknesses” showdown

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Back in January, the State Board of Education somewhat surprisingly voted to remove anti-science “strengths and weaknesses” language from the curriculum. That was only a preliminary vote, however, and today is the day that the hearings begin for the final … Continue reading →

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The dentist in charge

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman has a profile of Don McLeroy, the young-earth creationist who is also the chair of the State Board of Education and who is currently leading the fight to cripple science education in Texas. I’m not going to get … Continue reading →

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The dentist in charge

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Greg Wythe

The Statesman has a profile of Don McLeroy, the young-earth creationist who is also the chair of the State Board of Education and who is currently leading the fight to cripple science education in Texas. I’m not going to get … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Some intelligence on “intelligent design”

Posted on August 25, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

All things considered, I’d have to say that this counts as pretty good news. For now, anyway. Should “intelligent design” – the cousin of creationism – be taught in science classes in Texas alongside evolution? A solid majority of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 3 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 30

Posted on July 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

You know the drill. As with the last time, Vince is the roundup master. Click on for the highlights. Continue reading →

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