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EDITORIAL BOARDS' RECOMMENDATIONS
'UNETHICAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL'
By Ken Mercer - Member, State Board of Education
June 21, 2010 – I believe the recommendation of certain Editorial Boards that the Texas Legislature refuse to
appropriate funds for new reading, science, and social studies textbooks for the children of Texas is both
unethical and unconstitutional.
Their premise that “the money simply isn’t there” is a complete falsehood.
The State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to send the Legislature $1.2 Billion in
the next 12 months. This funding will not cost Texas taxpayers one cent. Why? The
SBOE members are stewards of the $22 billion Permanent School Fund, commonly
known as the Children’s Textbook Fund. Capital appreciation of this endowment
allows the SBOE to provide full funding to pay for new textbooks.
Attorney General rulings state that the Texas Constitution gives the SBOE authority
to send PSF proceeds to the Legislative for the purpose of purchasing textbooks
approved by the SBOE. Elected officials from the far left are threatening to “appropriate” elsewhere the $1.2
billion meant for Texas schoolchildren in 2011. Promotion by editorial boards of this politically motivated
“redirection” is irresponsible.
These editorial boards are also attacking the SBOE conservatives for refusing to blindly follow all of the
recommendation recommendations of “respected scholars and academic experts” for English language arts,
science, and social studies.
Yet some of these experts promoted the failed “whole language” method of reading and inventive spelling that
annually puts Texas students in the nation’s bottom five on SAT verbal scores. Despite an alarming rate of
frustrated students who drop out due to their inability to read and write, these “experts” vehemently opposed
the statewide cry to return to phonics. The new reading materials promote the phonics-based approach. For
the first time in 30 years, phonics returns to Texas.
In terms of new science textbooks, experts on both sides agree Texas will implement world class standards.
Some “experts” opposed the right of high school students to ask honest questions about research and theories,
especially those that deal with evolution and “global warming.” The new science materials allow for careful
examination and critical thought. Texas’ students deserve science education, not political indoctrination.
The SBOE agreed with 85 per cent of the recommendations of social studies experts. Documents of the Texas
Education Agency prove that the new standards more than double the minority representation of any previous
SBOE, including the increased presence of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights activist,
Cesar Chavez.
And despite a nationwide campaign of lies, the only person mentioned more than Thomas Jefferson is George
Washington; and the Declaration of Independence, authored by Jefferson, is required study in all 12 grades.
Though not recommended by the social studies experts, the SBOE approved my nomination of Philip Bazaar,
who in 1865 became the first Hispanic recipient of our nation’s highest award, the Medal of Honor.
Conservatives also voted to include Medal of Honor recipients Roy Benavidez, William Carney, and Vernon
J. Baker. In 1865 Carney was the first African-American to earn the Medal of Honor.
This is the first time that minorities Bazaar, Benavidez, Carney, and Baker will appear in the social studies
standards. Why? In the past standards, the far left seemed to have such a disregard for our military, that when
searching for role models for our children they never considered minority recipients of the Medal of Honor.
The conservative board members led in the efforts to pass numerous “firsts” for minorities: the addition of
Wentworth Cheswell, Hiram Revels, and Haym Salomon. In 1770 Cheswell became the first African-
American elected to public office. In 1870, Rev. Revels (R–Mississippi) became the first African-American
elected to the United States Senate. Haym Salomon, a Jewish Patriot, was an important financier of the
American Revolution.
Other examples of minorities new to the standards include Judge Raul A. Gonzalez, Astronaut Ellen Ochoa,
James Armistead, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, and
the predominately Japanese-American 442nd regiment, the most decorated regiment of WWII.
It is a matter of public record, both oral and written testimony, that some of the “experts” opposed teaching
Veterans Day and Independence Day in elementary grades, tried to delete instruction on the Liberty Bell as a
symbol of American patriotism, and wanted to eliminate Christmas as a holiday of major religious significance
that impacts our culture. A few “experts” wanted to delete the word “patriot” from the standards and to teach
that students are global citizens first and Americans second. These so-called experts wanted to delete
Astronaut Neil Armstrong, Albert Einstein, and any reference to America as an exceptional nation. Liberals
are incensed is because the SBOE conservatives successfully defeated these radical recommendations.
As an elected official, my purpose is not to just “rubber stamp” all the recommendations of academic experts,
especially when they want to continue funding a decades-old failed experiment in reading and writing, or deny
students the right to ask probing questions in science class, or to promote a radical ideological agenda that
distorts history and opposes American patriotism.
Ken Mercer represents 1.5 million Texans in 12 counties including: Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell,
Comal, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Llano and parts of Bell, Bexar and Travis Counties.
Article from Texas Insider: http://www.texasinsider.org
'UNETHICAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL'
By Ken Mercer - Member, State Board of Education
June 21, 2010 – I believe the recommendation of certain Editorial Boards that the Texas Legislature refuse to
appropriate funds for new reading, science, and social studies textbooks for the children of Texas is both
unethical and unconstitutional.
Their premise that “the money simply isn’t there” is a complete falsehood.
The State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to send the Legislature $1.2 Billion in
the next 12 months. This funding will not cost Texas taxpayers one cent. Why? The
SBOE members are stewards of the $22 billion Permanent School Fund, commonly
known as the Children’s Textbook Fund. Capital appreciation of this endowment
allows the SBOE to provide full funding to pay for new textbooks.
Attorney General rulings state that the Texas Constitution gives the SBOE authority
to send PSF proceeds to the Legislative for the purpose of purchasing textbooks
approved by the SBOE. Elected officials from the far left are threatening to “appropriate” elsewhere the $1.2
billion meant for Texas schoolchildren in 2011. Promotion by editorial boards of this politically motivated
“redirection” is irresponsible.
These editorial boards are also attacking the SBOE conservatives for refusing to blindly follow all of the
recommendation recommendations of “respected scholars and academic experts” for English language arts,
science, and social studies.
Yet some of these experts promoted the failed “whole language” method of reading and inventive spelling that
annually puts Texas students in the nation’s bottom five on SAT verbal scores. Despite an alarming rate of
frustrated students who drop out due to their inability to read and write, these “experts” vehemently opposed
the statewide cry to return to phonics. The new reading materials promote the phonics-based approach. For
the first time in 30 years, phonics returns to Texas.
In terms of new science textbooks, experts on both sides agree Texas will implement world class standards.
Some “experts” opposed the right of high school students to ask honest questions about research and theories,
especially those that deal with evolution and “global warming.” The new science materials allow for careful
examination and critical thought. Texas’ students deserve science education, not political indoctrination.
The SBOE agreed with 85 per cent of the recommendations of social studies experts. Documents of the Texas
Education Agency prove that the new standards more than double the minority representation of any previous
SBOE, including the increased presence of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights activist,
Cesar Chavez.
And despite a nationwide campaign of lies, the only person mentioned more than Thomas Jefferson is George
Washington; and the Declaration of Independence, authored by Jefferson, is required study in all 12 grades.
Though not recommended by the social studies experts, the SBOE approved my nomination of Philip Bazaar,
who in 1865 became the first Hispanic recipient of our nation’s highest award, the Medal of Honor.
Conservatives also voted to include Medal of Honor recipients Roy Benavidez, William Carney, and Vernon
J. Baker. In 1865 Carney was the first African-American to earn the Medal of Honor.
This is the first time that minorities Bazaar, Benavidez, Carney, and Baker will appear in the social studies
standards. Why? In the past standards, the far left seemed to have such a disregard for our military, that when
searching for role models for our children they never considered minority recipients of the Medal of Honor.
The conservative board members led in the efforts to pass numerous “firsts” for minorities: the addition of
Wentworth Cheswell, Hiram Revels, and Haym Salomon. In 1770 Cheswell became the first African-
American elected to public office. In 1870, Rev. Revels (R–Mississippi) became the first African-American
elected to the United States Senate. Haym Salomon, a Jewish Patriot, was an important financier of the
American Revolution.
Other examples of minorities new to the standards include Judge Raul A. Gonzalez, Astronaut Ellen Ochoa,
James Armistead, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, and
the predominately Japanese-American 442nd regiment, the most decorated regiment of WWII.
It is a matter of public record, both oral and written testimony, that some of the “experts” opposed teaching
Veterans Day and Independence Day in elementary grades, tried to delete instruction on the Liberty Bell as a
symbol of American patriotism, and wanted to eliminate Christmas as a holiday of major religious significance
that impacts our culture. A few “experts” wanted to delete the word “patriot” from the standards and to teach
that students are global citizens first and Americans second. These so-called experts wanted to delete
Astronaut Neil Armstrong, Albert Einstein, and any reference to America as an exceptional nation. Liberals
are incensed is because the SBOE conservatives successfully defeated these radical recommendations.
As an elected official, my purpose is not to just “rubber stamp” all the recommendations of academic experts,
especially when they want to continue funding a decades-old failed experiment in reading and writing, or deny
students the right to ask probing questions in science class, or to promote a radical ideological agenda that
distorts history and opposes American patriotism.
Ken Mercer represents 1.5 million Texans in 12 counties including: Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell,
Comal, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Llano and parts of Bell, Bexar and Travis Counties.
Article from Texas Insider: http://www.texasinsider.org
MERCER