The Old Eighteen

Support Edra Bogle for SBOE District 14

I don't live in District 14, but if you do (check this map to find out), I encourage you to support Edra Bogle  - we need more good Democrats like her on the State Board of Education.  Bradley Bowen at North Texas Liberal has more here, or you can go to Edra's web site for more information about her and where she stands on the issues.

SBOE ignores teacher-backed curriculum proposal

Because why should the right-wing majority on the Board of Education give any regard to the recommendations of Texas teachers when they have their DC consultant to listen to?

State Board of Education members, casting aside months of work by English teachers across the state, tentatively approved new curriculum standards Thursday for English and reading classes that will be used in Texas schools for the next decade.

Led by its social conservative bloc, the board rejected a curriculum proposal written and backed by several teacher associations – including those representing English teachers – and instead adopted a Washington, D.C.-based consultant's plan that changes the way grammar is taught..

The teacher-backed proposal was rejected on a 9-6 vote, before board members approved their consultant's plan by the same 9-6 split. Voting with the seven social conservatives on the board – all Republicans – were Geraldine Miller, R-Dallas, and Rick Agosto, D-San Antonio.

Key differences in the two plans centered on how grammar should be covered and the best methods for teaching reading comprehension.

A majority of the board wanted grammar taught by itself, while teachers wanted it taught in writing classes as is currently done in most schools. The board majority also discarded widely used teaching strategies for reading that were favored by teacher groups.

"It is disheartening that the board has completely discounted the recommendations of teachers who are in the classroom teaching these subjects," said Cynthia Tyroff of Texas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts, one of 17 teacher associations that worked on the teacher-backed plan.

But board member Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, said some teachers and their supporters "subverted" the process of writing the curriculum standards by working behind the scenes to influence the final version of the plan.

"We don't want to say we're not listening to teachers, but I am very frustrated," she said. "This process has become a joke and mockery."

Yeah, how dare those teachers try to influence the development of the curriculum standards that they're expected to adhere to!