Of interest to Hays Countians, the November race for SBOE District 5 will pit San Antonio Republican incumbent Ken Mercer against San Marcos Democrat and TSU professor Rebecca Bell-Metereau
Send your comments and news tips to online.editor@valleyspringcomm.net or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story
Read the complete story at the Texas Tribune
by Abby Rapoport|March 3, 2010
The most prominent symbol of Christian conservative power on the State Board of Education, former chair Don McLeroy, lost his seat Tuesday by a razor-thin margin, and with the loss, the board likely won't be quite as much of a Christian Conservative flash point any more.
What it will be, however, is anybody’s guess.
The board's balance of power is delicate. Though it’s had ten Republicans and five Democrats serving, seven socially conservative Republicans formed a reliable voting bloc that, with the swing vote of Democratic member Rick Agosto (who did not seek re-election), gave them the power to advance a socially conservative agenda.
. . . . In contrast, (Ken) Mercer’s race (SBOE District 5) turned out not to be much of a race at all. The incumbent breezed by with 69 percent of the vote. Challenger Tim Tuggey garnered the support from heavy hitters in San Antonio’s Republican community, including automobile magnate Red McCombs and H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt. Mercer now faces (San Marcos/TSU) Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau in the general election.
More of interest was found at the Sensuous Curmudgeon blog here and here.
. . . . LATE last year we wrote Texas Creationism: Meet Ken Mercer, about one of the hard-core, full-blown, flaming creationists on the Texas Board of Education (BOE). We quoted Mercer saying:
The controversial “macro” evolution was commonly understood as those major changes that could occur if one species jumped to another. For example, have you ever seen a dog-cat, or a cat-rat? The most famous example of macroevolution is the Darwinian “man from an ancestral primate.”
Realizing the weakness in macroevolution, Darwinists changed the meaning. Whatever their new definition, where is the evidence for one species changing to another?
That’s just a sample of Mercer’s nonsense in that article. In a comment to that post we heard from Rebecca Bell-Metereau, who said:
Here’s hoping that Ken Mercer is also defeated. Leininger — who funds Perry, Mercer, and anyone else whose stone-age “science” and vouchers (paid for by taxpayers) for schools that won’t have to meet public school standards — makes money from people’s ignorance and gullibility. I’m running for SBOE 5 to defeat Mercer. Check out my website voterebecca.com.
A better link to Rebecca’s website is: Rebecca Bell-Metereau. We looked at it and found it uninformative regarding the issues which concern us, so we replied to her as follows:
Good to hear from you. I looked at your website. It doesn’t yet have any statements about your policy positions. As you probably figured out, we became interested in the Texas BOE because of their bone-headed opposition to evolution. The ignorance of several board members about other topics is also apparent. I’ve written often about McLeroy, Dunbar, Mercer, and Lowe. I’d be delighted to post an article about your campaign, but you’ve got to give us — and the voters — something to work with.
I’m already hoping to see Mercer defeated, and frankly, if I lived in Mercer’s district I’d vote for a road-kill armadillo instead of him. However, what we’re looking for is some genuine support for science education, and some understanding of the constitutional requirement to keep religious doctrine (including all forms of creationism) out of public schools. So let us know your positions on the issues that have been a problem for the BOE. and I’d be delighted to write about your candidacy.
This is Rebecca’s response, with a bit of bold font added by us:
Check out notes on my facebook page. Here is a longish statement of my platform. As for the issue of science, of course it should be taught as science, using scientific method to determine what can be proven and measured, not as religious opinion, which the creationists suggest. Some of my platform may not be relevant to this particular discussion, but here it is. Feel free to edit.
Your Curmudgeon looked at Rebecca’s facebook material and we looked again at her campaign website. It’s possible that we missed something, but it seems that the only thing she says about science education is in her comment, quoted above. It doesn’t directly address the creationism issue, at least, not to our satisfaction, but she’s obviously better than a road-kill armadillo — and the armadillo is way ahead of Mercer.
13 comments:
I have a problem with the term “Christian Conservative” and this whole debate being about conservatives. While I like to call myself a Conservative, I do not follow the nuts like Mercer and his followers. These people are nutty dimwits that want to re-write history and science to suit the teachings of some Jewish Rabbi that might have lived 2000 years ago. These people are the worst of the worst when it comes to science and morality.
I used to be a Republican but since my return to Texas from a more enlightened State I have become an independent. Now in this particular race, it seems that our choice is between a Christian Taliban and a lady owned by the teachers union. Aren’t there any moderates in Texas any more?
Let's get away from the labels, political parties and deal more with the individuals on the SBOE and also those selected to serve on SBOE committees.
Most of these people have little or no direct experience with or ability to determine public school systems and processes.
They have no business being part of this process, except for their own special interests and allegiances, which usually are not in the interests of improving our public education process and improving our childrens' learning outcomes.
While a lot of people do not agree with me here in Texas, I speak from years of experience with public and private education, having been a Director of Public School Programs, a Middle-School Principal, public school Teacher, and a university professor who has seen first-hand what a public education does for our children, good and bad. I also went to big city public schools for my own education. I have seen the worst and have been involved in the best.
There are way better qualified and experienced people to serve on the SBOE, those without a political connection or special interest motivations.
We need to tap into those resources or we will never "fix" public education.
No, there are no "moderates" in Texas any more and THAT's a big problem not only for education, but with urgent issues across the board.
We have lost our way. The election outcomes usually show that to us.
I was a high school teacher ten years until I suffered burn out from tantrum throwing, spoiled rotten, undisciplined, intellectually lazy, completely distracted, immature, frightened, name-calling, pot smoking, hung over, in love and out of love kids. A few (7 to 1 ratio) were well centered and I loved 'em as students.
Our secondary public school system basically is the World's Most expensive Day Care for young adults who could care less about algebra, literature, history or government. No REAL LIFE training or education occurs. Athletic Booster Clubs RULE, and so do the jock principals, superintendents and history teachers!
Our public school system MUST CHANGE to reflect the realities of the age we are in. Young kids basically have only 3 tracts to pursue in their future: arts, a trade or scholastic university. Disgracefully, our schools are failing miserably to prepare them for any focused direction.
I lay the responsibility first at the feet our our status quo local school boards (who believe expensive school buildings and highly paid administrators & staff will solve the problems); second to our ignorant over-politicized legislature; and third to our ignorant and over-politicized state BOE.
If a 30%-40% drop out rate doesn't scream "THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!" nothing will.
American public schools are bastions of super expensive mediocrity and the public (parents) continues to let our school boards and BOE get away with it, over and over and over again.
I am an educator, but I wouldn't consider myself to be a "lady owned by the teachers union." I hope you visit my website and read my blog for more details on my background and views.
As a professor at Texas State, I have worked to improve students retention and to connect high school preparation with higher education.
Also, by the way, you should read more posts from the Sensuous Curmudgeon. I became more popular with him once he got to know me. For more on curriculum, look at my blog entitled "Hurt Feelings" on my website, voterebecca.com
Rebecca Bell-Metereau
Candidate for SBOE 5
Former teacher, Thank you for posting your message! It is spot-on and covers almost everything that is wrong with our Government School System. Just look at the over-the-top Gymnasiums, Football Fields, and the school buildings themselves. For instance, Wimberley’s new Elementary school cost 13 million to build and has 2 full sized Basketball Courts a Soccer Field and some very expensive playground equipment. Oh yes, it also has a gym. The Wimberley High School has several gyms, one new one just finished. All of this for a school district with less than 2000 total students. You are right about the jocks, surprise, surprise the Superintendent of the WISD is an ex Coach; I think he still walks around with a whistle around his neck.
Wimberley is not all that unusual in having an obsession with sports, checkout the stadiums all over central Texas. What a waste!
Hays Countians. I've always wandered what the word for residents of the County are called.
Thank you for your kind comments, Rebecca, and congratulations on your win in the Dem Primary. We look forward to hearing from you again.
You won big in Hays County with 2,900 votes (23,000 out of 37,200 in the district), overcoming three challengers.
Mr. Mercer also won big here. He crushed his Republican primary opponent, moderate Tim Tuggey, 5,000 votes to 2,000 (75,300-33,600 in the district). Seems Mercer has held on to a large (ultra) conservative following locally and throughout the district.
Clearly, you've got a tough battle ahead. Democrats alone (those who vote, anyway) probably will be insufficient to carry you over in November. You will surely have to widen your appeal to Independents and moderate Republicans.
No doubt the SBOE can use some new ideas and a big breath of fresh air. But truly, do you think it can ever be awakened from its deep ideological slumber and focus, like good students, on a system badly in need of repair?
Hopefully evangelical conservatives in Texas will someday understand that a good "bad to basics' Christian education does not mean being out of touch with the global economy in the 21st century. Sadly the Texas SBOE is making decisions that are "dumbing down" textbooks - and in the process making our children less competitive in the new domestic and world economy.
Moreover, the ultra-conservative Texans on the SBOE don't seem to understand the difference between their own adult biases and what children need in their learning experience. I believe the SBOE is simply ignorant about what constitutes a good education?
It seems they are trying to impose their largely narrow-minded thinking on all Texas children. The scary part is they truly believe they are doing the right thing. They want to go back to the 1950's -- a decade that wasn't very intelligent in the first place.
Exemplary education is NOT about making a big stink over teaching "creation" theory or going "back to the basics" like the Mercer rhetoric espouses. In fact, back to the basics is too often the poorly-managed school district's promotion of rote memorization of tables and facts that have no direct personal applicability in the immediate lives of our children. As a result, it turns off the learning desire in kids. Learning theory has proven over 20 years ago that memorization is a failed teaching method.
Exemplary education is about showing our children how to enjoy learning -- by making education fun and interesting and personal. Joy of learning stays with the child during their entire life. As a result, they enjoy reading and exploring forever. And they even end up seeing adult work as a constant learning experience - and largely enjoyable.
Learning is already a God-given natural desire in all children. "Back to basics" teaching methods too often kills that natural desire to learn, making the child afraid of being alone and trying to avoid the stress of new experiences.
A good education must also teach our children that elitism, hate, xenophobia and racism are individual and societal diseases that will harm the child's ability to adapt to real life and their ability to survive anywhere in the world.
In the end, angry, self-righteous adults with special interest political and economic agendas should not be determining what our children are exposed to in their public education.
Children will tell us how to teach them if we take the time to ask them and if we as adults can put aside our own bigotry and egos for the sake of our children.
Back to basics education cannot be about raising our children to fight and die in natural resource wars and to consume mindlessly and be in debt for the rest of their lives. That type of education is killing our country.
"Honor Thy Father" needs to be earned, not beaten into our children. They know intuitively when adults are lying to them - but lack the power to tell us so. And since they trust us not to lie to them, we should "honor our children" instead.
Vote for Rebecca Bell-Metereau. She is a real educator.
Ralph, I agree with about 75% of what you say but ... your statement, “A good education must also teach our children that elitism, hate, xenophobia and racism are individual and societal diseases that will harm the child's ability to adapt to real life and their ability to survive anywhere in the world.” is wrong and elitist itself. It is, and never was the school’s place to teach morals and societal normality to our children. From a Government school it would be propaganda. That is the choice and duty of the parents or later in life the courts. None of those things are against the law and as to whether they are right or wrong, that still remains the purview of the individual family unit. If that family unit wants to teach and support all of those things, so be it. The Government schools have for far too long been involved in social engineering of the minds of our young.
I agree that Rebecca Bell-Metereau is the candidate of choice here, by default. Mercer is a religious nut that would be happier in a commune.
To Ralph and readers,
The people you speak of are in no way "conservative" even though they may think they are.
And just because a majority of people think and/or believe in something does not make it "right".
The GOP party has few true fiscal and reality-based life thinking "conservatives".
The same may be stated about the Democrats.
I have said it often, that the 2-Party system has hurt and failed most Americans.
Too many of those in charge and seeking to hold offices are more defined as radical or extremist in most of their thoughts and actions.
We are an American community of opposing extremes in politics and within and throughout our daily lives.
Our leadership is comprised of too many of these sort of folks, at the national, state and local levels.
As a nation, we desperately need more of a balance or moderation in most areas of our daily lives.
Show me one person who doesn't have an agenda, and I will show you a liar.
Conservative Atheist, your a legend in your own mind. Your own intellectual ego and elitism is clouding your understanding of human nature and children.
Children are naturally egalitarian and it is only because parents and schools instill racism and hate in them that it exists. And your conservative bias is making government out to be some totalitarian entity that can override parental influence. You are wrong.
A truly democratic country with a public school system must by its inherent political philosophy try to instill tolerance and multicultural understanding within the public educational curriculum. And since most children are fine until they are messed up by adults, it is the moral responsibility of a exemplary education to foster that purity and love.
I was once an atheist until I discovered that love of family, children, and friends probably cannot come from a Godless world. And I believe in your right to choose; but good luck with your atheism.
Post a Comment