Social Studies Hearing Begins!! Anti-Defamation League Rep. Embarasses Herself; Sikh Religion/LULAC/American Exceptionalism Seek More Additions.
Hearing over. Some people on the list were not reached, including myself. Some others are unhappy that the SBOE has adjourned. Let’s be clear, the hearing Social Studies TEKS started at 9:30 a.m., almost nine hours ago. There has been almost 8 hours of testimony. It’s hard to believe that anyone who wanted their opinion expressed, that is wasn’t expressed in some form. Most of the testimony was pretty much the same, over and over at some point. Which is a great strategy. But plenty of time was given.
I have been apart of government hearings before where we only had 20 minutes total.
5:31 – Anti-Defamation League representative embarassed herself. Anti-Defamation League testifying. Edwards v. Aguillard court case reference-classroom will not advance religious views that conflict with individual views of students. Doesn’t want religious preference but has a hard time defining what she means. She doesn’t have time to mention the specific concerns she has. Why not? It’s your turn, you made the effort to sign up and testify and throw religious bombs of suggestion? Oh, but now you don’t want to answer questions.
That was a waste of time. Strategy=cite from law from a USSCT case but basically say nothing and then when asked questions say=I am not prepared to answer questions. How embarassing.
5:55 Man testifying, wants to make sure Christopher Columbus is mentioned as well as Daniel Boone and others. SBOE Member Mavis Knight is asking a very long question and i think most people have lost track of what she is asking.
SBOE Member Knight brings up the fact that a curriculum review team member wanted to get rid of “dead white guys” but then when testifyier responds SBOE Member Knight says she doesn’t want to talk it about now. That’s unfair.
5:49 Bexar County Czech Heritage Society testifying-Need reference to European immigration and Czechs.
5;46-Dr. Samponaro testifying to add Lydia Mendoza to TEKS. This is a famous Tejano singer.
5:30 A man is testifying about Hispanics in the Social Studies curriculum.
5:15 – LULAC has another person testifying, demanding that Cesar Chavez be in the TEKS and many other former LULAC members.
LULAC uses the George Washington prayer in their meeting, they have testified. We should put the George Washington prayer in the TEKS next to LULAC. Unless the Austin Liberals cry foul.
5:04 p.m. State Rep. Wayne Christian’s comments are being read by a citizen. Supports founding documents, Celebrate Freedom week, test it. Supports AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM-WHAT MAKES OUR COUNTRY UNIQUE!!
4:13 p.m. Cesar Rossatto-for Multicultural Alliance for Social Studies Advocacy (MASSA) testifying saying there is no distiniction between Democracy and Socialism. Wow, this guy is way out of touch! SBOE Member Renee Nunez supports him, so does SBOE Member Mary Helen Berlanga.
He doesn’t want the concept of AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM taught to students.
He wants LULAC included in the TEKS. News flash, LULAC is already in the proposed TEKS. I guess he wants LULAC in their twice. Same amount of times that Christopher Columbus is mentioned.
3:53 p.m.-Texas Council for Social Studies rep is speaking, teacher in Georgetown: this is the liberal group that try to hijack the curricululm review process early in 2009, by trying to dump the entire current TEKS and start over with their extreme left-wing agenda. click here for details: http://www.texasinsider.org/?p=8341
SBOE Member asking question about Secular versus Biblical foundation of country?
3:46 p.m. Woman testifying-objects to certain suggested person in history who supports Socialism. Socialism does not bring about freedom. Difference between liberty and tyranny. GOOD POINT!!
3:38 p.m. -ACLU of Texas testifying, they have only 14,000 supporters in Texas. They don’t want prostelytizing in classroom. Code for= they will stomp on any attempt for Christianity to be mentioned in public school.
Don’t worry the ACLU has lost time and time again in Texas courts and the legislature when they have tried ban and censor first amendment religious speech of students in public school. When we have been on the other side, at least.
Man attacking David Barton, based on what the Baptist Joint Convention believes. I guess its their word against his.
If not for America, what would the state of Freedom be like for the world.
3:23 p.m. Woman mentioning inclusion of Geronimo, and Geronimo’s strong Christian faith. According to Wikipedia, Geronimo said the following:
“Since my life as a prisoner has begun I have heard the teachings of the white man’s religion, and in many respects believe it to be better than the religion of my fathers … Believing that in a wise way it is good to go to church, and that associating with Christians would improve my character, I have adopted the Christian religion…”
I hope his Christian beliefs does not disqualify him from inclusion and when he is talked about, that his religious beliefs do not get censored and banned from the classrooms.
3:16-William Murray speaking about favoring American Exceptionalism, wants too see this concept in a stronger way.
3:09- Sons of American Republic representative is speaking.
3:00- Sorry for the long break. We were a part of a press conference, invovled in media interviews, and there was a late lunch break. Picture above shows box representing 4000 pages, a page for each of the almost 4000 people who have signed our CHRISTMAS PETITION.
Paul Dixon from San Antonio is testifying about the 10th Amendment and wanting TEKS to focus more on this principle.
CHRISTMAS PETITION UPDATE: Nearly 4,000 have signed our Christmas petition to keep Christmas in a list of holidays, that also includes Ramadan and now Diwali. Christmas was removed at what point in 2009, before any SBOE Vote was taken.
HAVE YOU SIGNED OUR CHRISTMAS PETITION? www.christmastextbooks.com
11:20-Cecilia Wood, local attorney and Free Market Foundation/Liberty Institute volunteer testified. She wants to make sure the SBOE resists efforts to censor religious anf faith facts that relate historical figures and events.
She also is letting the SBOE know, our Christmas petition signatures has now totalled almost 4,000, in just a few short weeks!!
10:41-Woman testifying for Sikhism wants to add Sikhism to curriculum, to teach students about to know about the religion of Sikhism. Wants more talk about Sikhism, even more than has already been suggested by some curriculum review teams, but not yet decided by the SBOE members.
10:38- Dr. Bill Proctor testifying from Katy teacher, retired education and policy specialist. Wants Milton Friedman mentioned as an Economist, Depression talked about.
10:20 Steven Green is testifying at SBOE hearing. HE thinks that American law has no real reference or connection to Mosaic law, i.e. the Ten Commandments. No really, he’s a professor, he’s smarter than you, he’s been published in “scholarly articles.”
SBOE Member, Mavis Knight asks who invited him to testify. Good question. WHAT A SURPRISE! THE TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK INVITED HIM. HE had to come all the way from Oregon.
Wait, i thought TFN didn’t think it was right to have “experts” come from other states. Remember their criticisms of professors who came from other states to help keep classrooms open for discussion about Evolution?
Can you say Double Standard? Typical extreme liberal tactic. They don’t really support religious freedom/liberty. Their actions show it over and over as they continue to attack Christians and want to restrict religious freedom of students.
Thanks TFN for helping us make this point to our supporters. And thanks SBOE Member Mavis Knight.