Social Studies Battle Begins Today!! Live Blogging Now

 What our interview with Fox News National.  http://video.foxnews.com/v/4093859/history-being-rewritten

CHECK OUR FOX NEWS COVERAGE ON VIDEO http://www.foxnews.com/topics/us/textbook-bias.htm

 Jonathan Saenz presenting testimony before the SBOE.

Contact State Board of Education.  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=3803

We held our press conference at 10 a.m.  Numerous educators and parents stood side by side with us supporting accurate, balanced, and strong social studies.

Meeting ends.  Voting, debating, and decisions on Social Studies resume tomorrow.

7:59 p.m. SBOE membmer Pat Hardy wants to add Sikh religion to World History courses.  Passes.

7:51 p.m.  Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison get put back in the World History courses.

6:12 p.m.  Testimony is over. SBOE is now debating and voting on changes to Social Studies standards.

World History.  SBOE member Hardy  prto use the letters A.D. and B.C. to signify time, i.e. before or after Christ was born.  Some left-wing educrat must have changed the dating system to “B.C.E.”  this is ridiculous.  SBOE member Knight says that in the “Social Studies community” uses the letter B.C.E.  Just another attack on Christ and Christians.  They just can’t stand the impact and influence of Christianity throughout the world.

Amendment passes.  Knight and Agosto vote against it.

Discussion of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy added to 600-1450 time period. Christianity and Muslim is already in this section.

4:57 p.m. Just finished testifying, about to go live on Adam McManus Radio Show in San Antonio, 630 AM, KSLR.  SBOE Member Knight came after me for supporting a section about Judeo-Christian values.

3:40 p.m.  Rep. Eddie Rodriguez  testifying, wants Dolores Huerta in the TEKS.  SBOE member Pat Hardy asks him to, basically read the TEKS before he comes to testify, because Dolores Huerta is in the TEKS.

Appears Rep. Eddie Rodriguez  has not read the TEKS.  SBOE member Mercer points out the Huerta is currently a member of the Democratic Socialist of America.  So she’s a a socialist.  Rep. Rodriguez claims he does not know  about that the socialist issue, but seemed to be that concerned about this.

3:30 p.m. Man is testifying about TEKS section about the 2008 Obama election.  He also wants this TEKS area to talk about the 2009-10 backlash from the country, like the TEA party movement.

3:11 p.m.  Woman testifying about the God references all over Texas buildings and areas.  Talking about “God” added to State Texas Pledge.  She calls this the “Rest of the story.”  Spiritual story of Texas.

Catholics, Father De Jesus was a famous Texan in history.

LULAC activist is testifying.

Educator, teacher, La Nell Haynie testifying. Concerned about some recommendations presented to the board, concerned about what is being taught in the classroom.

Texas has an opportunity to lead. She has a concern about Judeo-Christian value being watered down. 

2:15 pm. Hearing is resuming.  Woman testifying about her concerns about the Civil Rights Movement.

2:17 p.m. Tommie Wood, Social Studies teacher for 36 years from San Antonio testifying. Taught every grade from 6th-12th grade.  Wants to see the greatness of America protected, Thomas Edison restored to World History, as well as Albert Einstein.

SBOE member Hardy mentions that Edison and Einstein will be restored to Social Studies.  SBOe member Cargill and Leo agree.

Tommie Wood worked was a speaker at our press conference.

Texas Holocaust and Genocide Society.  Wants Cambodia, Darfur, Rawanda, and Bosnia to examples of genocide.

Very well attended by state and national media.  Watch for coverage later on Greta Van Susteren show on Fox News Channel.

11:37 a.m.  Social Studies hearing begins.  SBOE members are explaining basic rules for the public hearing.  2 hours.   53 people are signed up to testify.

Representative Wayne Christian and Rep. Dan Flynn are addressing the board.  They have put together a letter on this issue.  Rep. Christian is speaking on behalf of 60 legislators of the Texas Conservative Coalition.

12:00 p.m. Person testifying about wanting more Hispanics in the Social Studies.  Wants the group MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund)  to be specifically included.  Says current standards don’t have enough Hispanics in the courses, but when asked for a number that he wanted, he refused to give a number.

American G.I. Forum representative speaking.  Concerned about high drop out rate.  Hector P. Garcia is the founder of this group.  Garcia is in the TEKS.

Man talking about “Zionists” and making legal arguments, says he sued Gov. Rick Perry for violation of Frist Amendment because of “Restoration Project”.  I’m familiar with what he’s referencing.  This man, Rhett Smith lost that case.  The IRS ruled against him.  Click here.  http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97938

Woman asking for Native Americans to be included. SBOE member Cargill says Native Americans are in 3rd grade, 7th grade and 8th grade.  Cargill asks her if she has read the TEKS.  Testifier says no, she hasn’t read the text of the standards.

Man asking for TEKS to include specifically Congressional Medal of Honor winners from Texas, including Hispanic winners.  Sounds like a good idea, more talk about our military servicepersons is great.

School teacher and military veteran testifying, doesn’t like some proposals of writing teams.  Wants to remind we are One Nation Under God.  An earlier draft took out mentioning the importance of “family”.  Thankfully, “famliy is back in.

Woman testifying, mother, wants Judeo-Christian values fairly and accurately taught in school.  She also wants Milton Friedman.

Man testifying, member of Sikh religion.  Aware that Sikh religion is listed in 6th grade, list of holidays.  But also wants Sikhs added to two more sections of World History courses.

Wants Sikh heritage taught in Social Studies.  SBOE member Pat Hardy says she offer to add Sikhs to World History.

NAACP representative testifying, wants U.S.Supreme Court decisions, Sweat v. Painter. included.  Says Mirabeau Lamar said, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free..”  Great quote, but Jesus is the source of this quote.  From the New Testament of the Bible, Book of John 8:32.