The White Horse
Science and Rational Thought Must Prevail
RECEIVED Tue., Feb. 3, 2009
Dear Editor,
I was relieved to finally read (or hear) a news article that made this debate between the State Board of Education and the defenders of science education clear [“On the Lege,” News, Jan. 30]. I attended the board meeting last month because this is a hugely important issue that has lasting implications for our students. I was appalled at the poor coverage that the meeting and the topic received in the local news. This article, in contrast, made the controversy very clear and underscored how important it is that science and rational thought prevail on this topic. Not only will the decisions made by this board affect the curriculum for the next 10 years, its decisions will also affect what the multimillion dollar textbook industry will publish in its textbooks. Will we have one textbook developed for Texas while the rest of the country has its own (accurate) version? I was also appalled at the line of narrow-minded and repetitive questioning by our school board members. I was embarrassed at times by the shameful and willful ignorance. This article should be more widely read so that our collective willful ignorance will not allow this body to determine the content of our children's curriculum based on faulty ideology. I hope Lee Nichols continues to illuminate the nuances of the debate so that the public is aware of what the real, long-lasting implications of the board's decisions are.
I was relieved to finally read (or hear) a news article that made this debate between the State Board of Education and the defenders of science education clear [“On the Lege,” News, Jan. 30]. I attended the board meeting last month because this is a hugely important issue that has lasting implications for our students. I was appalled at the poor coverage that the meeting and the topic received in the local news. This article, in contrast, made the controversy very clear and underscored how important it is that science and rational thought prevail on this topic. Not only will the decisions made by this board affect the curriculum for the next 10 years, its decisions will also affect what the multimillion dollar textbook industry will publish in its textbooks. Will we have one textbook developed for Texas while the rest of the country has its own (accurate) version? I was also appalled at the line of narrow-minded and repetitive questioning by our school board members. I was embarrassed at times by the shameful and willful ignorance. This article should be more widely read so that our collective willful ignorance will not allow this body to determine the content of our children's curriculum based on faulty ideology. I hope Lee Nichols continues to illuminate the nuances of the debate so that the public is aware of what the real, long-lasting implications of the board's decisions are.
Cristina Everett
